Wildfires are among the most common forms of natural disaster in some regions, including Siberia, California, British Columbia, and Australia. Effects include the direct health impacts of smoke and fire, destruction of property (especially in wildland–urban interfaces) economic and ecosystem services losses, and contamination of water and soil. Human societies can be severely impacted by fires.

High-severity wildfire may create complex early seral forest habitat (also called 'snag forest habitat'), which may have higher species richness and diversity than an unburned old forest. Some natural forests are dependent on wildfire. Many plant species depend on the effects of fire for growth and reproduction. Naturally occurring wildfires may have beneficial effects on native vegetation, animals, and ecosystems that have evolved with fire. These cycles have been intensified by climate change. Climatic cycles with wet periods that create substantial fuels, followed by drought and heat, often proceed severe wildfires. Wildfire behavior and severity result from a combination of factors such as available fuels, physical setting, and weather. Wildfires are often classified by characteristics like cause of ignition, physical properties, combustible material present, and the effect of weather on the fire. Modern forest management often engages in prescribed burns to mitigate risk and promote natural forest cycles. Wildfires are distinct from beneficial human usage of wildland fire, called controlled or prescribed burning, although controlled burns can turn into wildfires. Some natural forest ecosystems depend on wildfire. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a bushfire ( in Australia), desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, peat fire, prairie fire, vegetation fire, or veld fire. The Rim Fire burned more than 250,000 acres (1,000 km 2) of forest.Ī wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of combustible vegetation. Wildfire near Yosemite National Park, United States, in 2013.

The Mangum Fire burned more than 70,000 acres (280 km 2) of forest. Wildfire burning in the Kaibab National Forest, Arizona, United States, in 2020. For other uses, see Brushfire (disambiguation) and Forest fire (disambiguation).

'Brushfire' and 'Forest fire' redirect here.

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