WILDFIRES: BASICS

Wildfires are characterized as being uncontrolled and unplanned fires that burn across a natural area, such as a forest, savanna, grassland, or prairie. These blazing fires are not limited to one particular country or continent, since they can occur anywhere, at any given time. Although wildfires can be ignited through natural circumstances, including lighting storms, anthropogenic activity may be another cause.

Nevertheless, the weather conditions of the impacted land will determine how far the wildfire spreads. The wind, high temperature, and lack of precipitation could leave trees, shrubs, and other vegetation dried out, and therefore more prone to ignite a fire. Moreover, topography can also influence how big the wildfire grows, as flames generally tend to burn uphill quicker compared to downhill.