Wildfires can burn up to 5 million acres of land in the United States each year. While they can have natural causes, wildfires are commonly caused by humans. Wildfires are larged uncontrolled fires that quickly spread through wild landscapes. There are three different types; forest, brush, and peatland fires. These describe the different landscapes they are spread through.
The Fire Triangle
Source: https://www.fireaction.co.uk/news/fire-triangle-explained/
There are three different components involved in a wildfire. This is called the fire triangle. These sources include heat sources, such as the sun, lightning, or a match dropped in the area. Next in the fire triangle comes fuel. Fuel sources in a wildfire can be things such as dry or dead grasses, leaves, and trees. Living vegetation (also known as green fuel) can also be fuel in a wildfire. Pine Trees and other similar evergreens contain flammable oils that can burn when exposed to a heat source. The final component in the fire triangle is oxygen. When air movement occurs, this results in more oxygen being supplied to the fire, and also aids in transporting or spreading the flames.
Natural Causes
A warmer climate and weather patterns such as El Nino, can create the hot dry conditions needed for a wildfire. While the warming temperatures do play a big role of the recent increase in wildfires, natural causes only account for about 10% of wildfires. Even the initiation of the wildfire isn’t necessarily a natural cause, the hot temperatures can still add fuel to the flame. Even though natural causes account for a small percentage of wildfires, it is believed that the warming climate could be a cause of the overall increase in wildfires, and intensity.
Source:https://www.climatesignals.org/resources/graph-large-wildfires-increasing-across-west
Man-Made Causes
About 90% of wildfires are from man-made causes. This can be caused by things such as campfires that become uncontrollable, improperly handled cigarettes, or even arson. These types of wildfires can, and should be easily prevented.
Wildfires are most common in the western United States. High temperatures, drought, and frequent lightning and thunderstorms can create the perfect conditions for a wildfire. While wildfires are destructive, they still do play an important role in nature. They can help forests by removing harmful insects, or diseased plants. They can also clear canopies to help seedlings on the forest floor receive sunlight. Just by being aware of the conditions that are necessary for wildfires to occur, they can be managed and prevented.
Wildfire Prevention Tips
- Never leave a fire unattended- make sure a fire is completely extinguished before leaving a campsite
- Be cautious when using and fueling lanterns, stoves, and heaters. Make sure heating and lighting devices are cooled before refueling, and avoid spilling flammable liquids.
- Do not discard cigarettes and matches anywhere on park grounds
- Follow local ordinances when burning yard waste
Sources: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/wildfire-safety-tips/#close
Global Climate Change and Society 