How do wildfires spread?

Return to menu
Once a fire has started, it can rapidly spread depending on the fuel, weather and
topography.
Fuel is needed to start a fire, but fuel composition also influences how fast a fire will
grow. Certain plants, trees and shrubs contain oils and resins that burn more quickly
and intensely.
A charred tree damaged by the Bootleg Fire in the mountains north of Bly, Ore., on
July 24. (Maranie Staab/Bloomberg News)
The amount of moisture contained in a fuel also matters. When moisture in
vegetation is less than 30 percent of its total weight, the fuel is considered dead. Dead
fuels are more susceptible to burning in warmer conditions. The U.S. Forest
Service monitors fuel moisture to help determine potential fire behavior.
Wind is one of the most important conditions that can rapidly enlarge a fire. Strong
wind can bring a fresh supply of oxygen to the fire. It can also blow embers and
sparks miles away from the initial fire and start fires in new locations, a phenomenon
known as spotting.
Topography also can promote or inhibit fire behavior. For instance, fires tend to
move quicker uphill than downhill. This uphill sprint is partly because heat
emanating from the fire rises up the slope and preheats vegetation farther up ahead
of the fire, which allows it to burn more readily once the fire reaches the spot.