File:Burnout_ops_on_Mangum_Fire_McCall_Smokejumpers.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

EntityQ169950· pop 66· linked from 5,031 articles

wildfire

Also known as brush fire, bushfire, grass fire, hill fire, peat fire, wildfires, wild fire, desert fire

thumb|upright=1.35|Wildfire burning in the Kaibab National Forest, [[Arizona, United States, in 2020. The Mangum Fire burned more than of forest.]] A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of combustible vegetation. Some natural forest ecosystems depend on wildfire. Modern forest management often engages in prescribed burns to mitigate fire risk and promote natural forest cycles. However, controlled burns can turn into wildfires by mistake.

AI overview

A wildfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire that spreads through areas with vegetation like forests. Wildfires matter because while some natural forest ecosystems depend on fire, uncontrolled wildfires can cause significant damage, though controlled burns are sometimes intentionally used by forest managers to reduce fire risk and support healthy forest cycles.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Research

6,380 papers

Wildfire Smoke: Health Effects, Mechanisms, and Mitigation.Environmental science & technology · 2024Lei Y, Lei TH, Lu C et al.DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c06653
Wildfire-related PM(2.5) and health economic loss of mortality in Brazil.Environment international · 2023Wu Y, Li S, Xu R et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107906
Wildfire mental health support programs.ReviewJournal of public health policy · 2025Young JDOI: 10.1057/s41271-025-00599-1
Protecting Cardiovascular Health From Wildfire Smoke.ReviewCirculation · 2022Hadley MB, Henderson SB, Brauer M et al.DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.058058
Wildfire smoke.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2024Ghodsi E, Aloosh MDOI: 10.1503/cmaj.240135
Wildfire impacts on surface water quality parameters: Cause of data variability and reporting needs.ReviewEnvironmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987) · 2023Raoelison OD, Valenca R, Lee A et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120713
Wildfire exposure during pregnancy and the risk of adverse birth outcomes: A systematic review.Environment international · 2021Amjad S, Chojecki D, Osornio-Vargas A et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106644
Wildfire smoke exposure under climate change: impact on respiratory health of affected communities.ReviewCurrent opinion in pulmonary medicine · 2019Reid CE, Maestas MMDOI: 10.1097/MCP.0000000000000552

via PubMed

Wikidata facts

Image: Lick Fire on the Umatilla National Forest burning at night.jpg

Show 4 more facts

Commons category: Wildfires
Commons gallery: Wildfire
exact match: purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ENVO_01000787
P8168: Q1122260

Sources (4)

via Wikidata · CC0

~66 min read

Article

39 sections

Contents

Ignition
Natural causes
Human activity
Spread
Physical properties
Intensity variations during day and night
Climate change effects
Increasing risks due to climate change
Carbon dioxide and other emissions from fires
Prevention and mitigation
Goat grazing programs
Detection
Local sensor networks
Satellite and aerial monitoring
Suppression
Costs of wildfire suppression
Wildland firefighting safety
Fire retardants
Modeling
Impacts on the natural environment
On the atmosphere
On ecosystems
On waterways
On plant and animals
Impacts on humans
Airborne hazards
Health effects
Asthma exacerbation
Carbon monoxide danger
Epidemiology
Post-fire risks
At-risk groups
Firefighters
Residents
History
Human involvement
Society and culture
See also
References

Wildfires can be classified by cause of ignition, physical properties, combustible material present, and the effect of weather on the fire. Wildfire severity results from a combination of factors such as available fuels, physical setting, and weather. Climatic cycles with wet periods that create substantial fuels, followed by drought and heat, often precede severe wildfires. These cycles have been intensified by climate change, and can be exacerbated by curtailment of mitigation measures (such as budget or equipment funding), or sheer enormity of the event.