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
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)
Examples of wildfire in a Sentence
The recent wildfires were made worse by the strong winds.
Recent Examples on the Web
Eid al-Fitr prayers in India, trophy winners at the Boston Marathon, the burning of a historic building in Denmark, a wildfire in Kosovo, widespread flooding in Russia, a joyous water festival in Thailand, a music festival in China, and much more
Hints: View this page full screen.
—
Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 19 Apr. 2024
Roughly 40% of Maui County’s firefighting resources were already tied up fighting other wildfires on a different part of the island.
—Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Rebecca Boone, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Apr. 2024
So much of its budget goes toward fighting wildfires, and there’s often very little left over for anything else, including road decommissioning.
—Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024
That report, compiled by the Western Fire Chiefs Association, was based on more than 200 interviews and data analysis, listed 111 recommendations and 17 challenges in preparing for and preventing wildfires on Maui and elsewhere in Hawaii.
—Lewis Kamb, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024
In other wildfire news, Pacific Gas & Electric is facing another lawsuit over the 2021 Dixie fire, this one from timber companies seeking $225 million in damages, my colleague Hannah Wiley reports.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Senate Bill 1060 would require insurers to take vegetation management, home protection, and other work meant to reduce wildfires into account when determining the risk of covering a property.
—Stephen Hobbs, Sacramento Bee, 11 Apr. 2024
The government issued a natural disaster decree in January to mobilize resources in an effort to combat its devastating effects, including wildfires and water stress.
—Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
And the case by six Portuguese young people, penned in response to devastating wildfires in 2017, was also not admitted—partly because the plaintiffs did not bring their case in their own country before approaching the ECHR.
—Chris Baraniuk, WIRED, 9 Apr. 2024
Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 19 Apr. 2024
Roughly 40% of Maui County’s firefighting resources were already tied up fighting other wildfires on a different part of the island.
—Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Rebecca Boone, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Apr. 2024
So much of its budget goes toward fighting wildfires, and there’s often very little left over for anything else, including road decommissioning.
—Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024
That report, compiled by the Western Fire Chiefs Association, was based on more than 200 interviews and data analysis, listed 111 recommendations and 17 challenges in preparing for and preventing wildfires on Maui and elsewhere in Hawaii.
—Lewis Kamb, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024
In other wildfire news, Pacific Gas & Electric is facing another lawsuit over the 2021 Dixie fire, this one from timber companies seeking $225 million in damages, my colleague Hannah Wiley reports.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Senate Bill 1060 would require insurers to take vegetation management, home protection, and other work meant to reduce wildfires into account when determining the risk of covering a property.
—Stephen Hobbs, Sacramento Bee, 11 Apr. 2024
The government issued a natural disaster decree in January to mobilize resources in an effort to combat its devastating effects, including wildfires and water stress.
—Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
And the case by six Portuguese young people, penned in response to devastating wildfires in 2017, was also not admitted—partly because the plaintiffs did not bring their case in their own country before approaching the ECHR.
—Chris Baraniuk, WIRED, 9 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wildfire.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near wildfire
Cite this Entry
“Wildfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wildfire. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wildfire
noun
wild·fire
ˈwī(ə)l(d)-ˌfī(ə)r
: an uncontrollable fire that destroys a wide area
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share