Wildfire
A large, uncontrolled fire that spreads through vegetation. Its behavior depends on fuel, weather, and terrain.
Fire triangle: A model stating that fire requires fuel, heat, and oxygen. Wildfire spread depends on sustaining all three elements across connected vegetation.
Wildfire modeling: The simulation of fire spread and behavior using fuel, weather, and terrain data. Models estimate where a wildfire may move and how quickly it may arrive.
Wildland–urban interface: The zone where homes and other human development meet or intermingle with wildland vegetation. This boundary concentrates people and structures in landscapes exposed to wildfire.
Lightning strike: An electrical discharge between clouds or between a cloud and the ground. Lightning is a natural ignition source for wildfires, especially in remote terrain.
Prescribed fire: A deliberately ignited fire managed to meet stated land-management objectives under planned conditions. It contrasts with wildfire through planned ignition, boundaries, and operational control.
Fire behavior: The way a fire ignites, spreads, and changes in response to fuel, weather, and terrain. This broader framework explains wildfire intensity, direction, and rate of spread.
Firebreak: A gap in combustible material designed to slow or stop a fire. Firebreaks interrupt the vegetation that a wildfire needs to keep spreading.
Wildfire smoke: A mixture of gases and fine particles released by burning vegetation and other materials. Smoke can harm health far from the flames and reduce regional air quality.
Human-caused fire: A fire ignited by human activity, whether accidental or deliberate. Many wildfires begin with escaped burns, equipment, vehicles, or other human sources.
Crown fire: A fire that spreads through the canopy of trees, often alongside surface burning. It is a particularly intense wildfire type that can move rapidly through forest crowns.