Fire is a natural hazard that occurs in the wildlands. It can become a disaster when it impacts people and their lives. The impact can be direct, such as losing homes or other assets, and indirect, such as environmental damage caused by erosion, mudslides and siltation. Wildfire can also be a significant contributor to hazard events such as droughts and heat waves.
In most wildland areas, there is a natural cycle of low intensity wildfires that remove excess fuel and help fertilize the land. Climate change, however, is making periods of extended warm drought and extreme heat more common in many locations around the world. This, along with human development on the edge of wildlands – known as the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) – is making learning to coexist with wildfire a pressing concern.
The causes and characteristics of wildfire depend on a variety of factors, including the combustible material in an area, its physical setting and weather. High temperatures, wind and dry conditions all promote wildfire, while precipitation, humidity and topographic features can limit the extent of a fire or influence its progression.
Wildfire smoke can negatively impact air quality, with high concentrations of tiny particles called PM2.5 causing health problems in humans ranging from sore eyes and a runny nose to cardiovascular disease and lung disease. These particles can also contaminate water and soil, especially in the case of severe wildfires that burn into or over communities.
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