Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Causes of
Wildfires
- Human
- War
- Combustible objects (eg
Fireworks, cigarettes,
chinese lanterns, candles)
- Bonfires, BBQs, Campfires
- Public utilities (eg Gas
leak)
- Arson
- Making sparks (friction)
- Agricultural Escape
- Prescribed burn escapes
- Items that focus sun rays (eg broken glass)
- Natural
- Lightning
- Strikes DRY ground; lots of heat
energy; burns fuel
- Temperature
- Really hot days can help
start fires
- Volcanoes
- Lava from
eruptions can
cause fires
- Conditions needed to
start/spread wildfires
- Dry Fuel
(Easier to burn)
- Weather
- Temperature
- Temperature of
fuel reaches ignition
point
- Wind
- Pushes flame to new fuel
source. Sparks and embers
are carried from fire to start
a new one.
- Dries out fuel
- Humidity
- Measure of moisture
in the air; moisture
dampens fuel and
slows spread
- Humidity is greater at night,
less intense flames; travel
slower
- Topography
- The shape of the land
affects the spread of fire
(elevation, direction,
steepness and exposure to
sunlight are also factors.)