brush·fire
ˈbrəsh-ˌfī(-ə)r 
: involving mobilization only on a small and local scale
brushfire border wars
1
: a fire involving low-growing plants (such as scrub and brush)
2
: a minor conflict or crisis
putting out political brush fires
Examples of brushfire in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024
Dinah Voyles Pulver Joyce Blankenship, an 83-year-old grandmother of four, died inside her home in February when a single brush fire exploded in size in just 24 hours, racing across the landscape, burning her home and others in Stinnett, Texas.
—USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
For ground crews and commanders working the small brush fire in the Riverside County community of Cabazon, word that something had gone horribly wrong crackled over their radios at 6:48 p.m. — roughly an hour before sunset.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2023
The areas include one affected by brush fires and another within the city of Santa Barbara.
—Katherine Itoh, NBC News, 3 Feb. 2024
In early August, what began as a brush fire burst into the town of Lahaina, a popular tourist destination, all but leveling it, destroying large swaths of West Maui and killing at least 100 people in the nation’s deadliest wildfire in more than a century.
—Kurtis Lee Brendan George Ko, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2024
There was also a small brush fire near the wreckage, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
—Omar Rodríguez Ortiz, Miami Herald, 25 Jan. 2024
In Prince George’s County, 27 brush fires were reported, and in Montgomery County, the figure was 13.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 27 Jan. 2024
Several small brush fires ignited Sunday across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and a major fire erupted Monday in Riverside County.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2023
Noun
Prince William County firefighters were dispatched to 39 outside and brush fires beginning about noon Wednesday, including large fires in the 4700 block of Locust Shade Drive and near Richmond Highway and Russell Road, where northbound traffic was blocked.
—Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024
Dinah Voyles Pulver Joyce Blankenship, an 83-year-old grandmother of four, died inside her home in February when a single brush fire exploded in size in just 24 hours, racing across the landscape, burning her home and others in Stinnett, Texas.
—USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
For ground crews and commanders working the small brush fire in the Riverside County community of Cabazon, word that something had gone horribly wrong crackled over their radios at 6:48 p.m. — roughly an hour before sunset.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2023
The areas include one affected by brush fires and another within the city of Santa Barbara.
—Katherine Itoh, NBC News, 3 Feb. 2024
In early August, what began as a brush fire burst into the town of Lahaina, a popular tourist destination, all but leveling it, destroying large swaths of West Maui and killing at least 100 people in the nation’s deadliest wildfire in more than a century.
—Kurtis Lee Brendan George Ko, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2024
There was also a small brush fire near the wreckage, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
—Omar Rodríguez Ortiz, Miami Herald, 25 Jan. 2024
In Prince George’s County, 27 brush fires were reported, and in Montgomery County, the figure was 13.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 27 Jan. 2024
Several small brush fires ignited Sunday across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and a major fire erupted Monday in Riverside County.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brushfire.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Brushfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brushfire. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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