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

All 1,800 residents of the village of Gey in Germany’s North Rhine-Westphalia state were evacuated after a wildfire in the nearby Hürtgen forest threatened to reach their homes. — ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026

But some escape initial suppression efforts and grow into major wildfires. — Brian Maass, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026

Traffic officials on Thursday closed a section of State Highway 55 north of Banks in both directions shortly after midnight on Thursday because of a wildfire threatening the area. — Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 13 Aug. 2026

The company, whose goats eat vegetation to help prevent wildfires, has about 4,000 animals and eight herders, who are each paid $60,000 a year. — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 13 Aug. 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