Wildfires

By: Riya Chaudhry and Citlalli Muniz

What is a Wildfire?
A wildfire is a fire that is uncontrolled. Usually a wildfire starts off in a small area and then slowly spreads over an area. This affects a lot of organisms in many ways.

Characteristics of Wildfires
Some wildfires can spread as far as 0.4 to 400 square kilometers, but others can be as small as 0.001 kilometers or less. The larger the wildfire is the more damage it causes.

How Does it Form

There are are many causes to wildfires. Some reasons are caused by man, others are for natural causes. An example of one cause due to man is when someone drops their cigarette. A natural cause is when it gets so hot outside, which can cause the grass to catch fire, usually on dead grass.

Impact on Humans
The smoke that is released from a wildfire is one major cause of health problems. With all the smoke, some of it gets inhaled by people which causes health concerns. A bunch of the smoke goes up to the atmosphere and makes air pollution. Wildfires can also destroy homes and take many lives. The reason it causes health problems is because too much of carbon dioxide enters the lungs and clogs it up.

Other Impacts
Wildfires have a lot of effects on natural habitats, animals, and plants. When a wildfire spreads it burns down trees and plants, which are homes to many creatures living in that area. Wildfires release emissions such as carbon monoxide, which pollutes the air. They also release nitrogen oxides which can cause holes in the ozone layer.

Examples of Wildfires
One example of a major wildfire is the Bastrop Wildfire. It spread over miles, destroying most of the green vegetation in that area and also houses, buildings, etc. There are lots of wildfires in Australia, due to the long hot summers there. They are usually called brush fires in Australia.

Preventions
One way to prevent wildfires is to be green. If you walk instead of driving a car, less carbon dioxide is released into the air causing less heat in the atmosphere. Another way is not throwing your cigarette onto the floor, because cigarettes can also cause wildfires.