wildfire

noun

wild·​fire ˈwī(-ə)ld-ˌfī(-ə)r 

1

: a sweeping and destructive conflagration especially in a wilderness or a rural area

2

: greek fire

3

: a phosphorescent glow (such as ignis fatuus or fox fire)

4

: a destructive leaf-spot disease of tobacco caused by several strains of a bacterium (Pseudomonas syringae)

see also:

like wildfire

Examples of wildfire in a Sentence

The recent wildfires were made worse by the strong winds.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk recommends voters who have been impacted or displaced by wildfires update their mailing address or request a replacement ballot be sent to their temporary address or new permanent address. —Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026

The speaker is Mike McMahon, who will discuss emergency preparedness, especially regarding wildfires. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2026

An architect and developer who helped build the Palisades community is back at it again after his own home burned to the ground in last year's wildfire. —Rudabeh Shahbazi, CBS News, 1 May 2026

Flames from the Highway 82 wildfire came within a couple hundred yards of the nonprofit's buildings, forcing residents to evacuate. —Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 1 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing wildfire

• like wildfire
• spread like wildfire

Rhymes for wildfire

• briar
• brier
• buyer
• choir
• crier
• cryer
• drier
• dryer
• eyer
• flier
• flyer
• friar

Kids Definition

wildfire

noun

wild·​fire ˈwī(ə)l(d)-ˌfī(ə)r 

: an uncontrollable fire that destroys a wide area