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

Increasingly severe wildfires — fueled by climate change and more than a century of forest mismanagement — have forced an environmental reckoning on mountain towns nestled in California’s Sierra Nevada. — Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026

But wildfire smoke has increasingly dominated the region’s worst short-term air pollution spikes, especially for fine-particle pollution, which is another major component of smoke exposure. — Seth Borenstein, Mercury News, 9 July 2026

The shift toward drier weather can increase the likelihood of drought and elevate the risk of wildfires. — ABC News, 9 July 2026

Clouds mixed with smoke from distant wildfires moved in after lunch, turning the light sepia. — John Todd, Outdoor Life, 9 July 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