as in blazes
a fire in a wild area (such as a forest) that is not controlled and that can burn a large area very quickly
The recent wildfires were made worse by the strong winds.
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Recent Examples of wildfires
From wildfires in Spain to a polar bear feast in Norway to a wedding amongst floods in the Philippines.
—
Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2026
Also voicing support for the bill at the hearing were survivors of other deadly wildfires in the state, including the 2018 Camp fire, which killed 85 people and destroyed much of the town of Paradise.
—Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
That includes everything from car fires to wildfires sparked along the mountain corridor.
—Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
All active wildfires are shown.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
California has already experienced devastating wildfires and extreme weather — common sense tells us that constraints like this could magnify future disasters dramatically.
—Kimberly Thorner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
One of the key findings of the report is that many policies fail to provide sufficient coverage to rebuild homes destroyed by wildfires.
—Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
While parts of Maui are still rebuilding after the 2023 wildfires, the state was pummeled by a pair of back-to-back storms last month, causing widespread damage across the islands, including parts of Maui, O’ahu, Molokaʻi, and the Big Island.
—Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2026
More than 600 wildfires have been reported in the past 10 days, the state reported Tuesday, March 31.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2026
Also voicing support for the bill at the hearing were survivors of other deadly wildfires in the state, including the 2018 Camp fire, which killed 85 people and destroyed much of the town of Paradise.
—Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
That includes everything from car fires to wildfires sparked along the mountain corridor.
—Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
All active wildfires are shown.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
California has already experienced devastating wildfires and extreme weather — common sense tells us that constraints like this could magnify future disasters dramatically.
—Kimberly Thorner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
One of the key findings of the report is that many policies fail to provide sufficient coverage to rebuild homes destroyed by wildfires.
—Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
While parts of Maui are still rebuilding after the 2023 wildfires, the state was pummeled by a pair of back-to-back storms last month, causing widespread damage across the islands, including parts of Maui, O’ahu, Molokaʻi, and the Big Island.
—Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2026
More than 600 wildfires have been reported in the past 10 days, the state reported Tuesday, March 31.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wildfires
Noun
-
Fire departments, inspired by the war, were already reorganizing under a new paramilitary structure to more quickly and aggressively respond to blazes although most were still primarily volunteer-based.—
Noah Haggerty,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
-
On Wednesday, North Chicago firefighters responded to a series of blazes that broke out along the railroad tracks along Sheridan Road.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Now, infernos sweep through populous towns and cities.—
Susie Neilson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
People were playing music, like lighting small bonfires and stuff, trying to light the area.—
Steve Maugeri,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
One skeleton estimated at 10,000–12,000 years old was surrounded by evidence of bonfires, possibly indicating funerary rituals involving light.—
Ryan Brennan
April 4,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wildfires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wildfires. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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