brushfire

1 of 2

adjective

brush·​fire ˈbrəsh-ˌfī(-ə)r 

: involving mobilization only on a small and local scale

brushfire border wars

brush fire

2 of 2

noun

1

: a fire involving low-growing plants (such as scrub and brush)

2

: a minor conflict or crisis

putting out political brush fires

Examples of brushfire in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The strong winds added to anxiety over a new, smaller brush fire that broke out late Wednesday in Los Angeles near Interstate 405 and the Getty Museum, burning 40 acres and prompting firefighters and aircrews to rush to the scene. —Alyce McFadden, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025

Footage of firefighting aircrafts working on Laguna Fire A new brush fire, known as the Laguna Fire, has ignited in Ventura County, California, threatening the California State University Channel Islands campus. —Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025

Thursday, a brush fire broke out in Camarillo, burning 50 acres and temporarily prompting evacuations at Cal State Channel Islands. —Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2025

An evacuation warning was issued for Sherman Oaks after a brush fire broke out on the Sepulveda Pass near the I-405 Freeway. —Christopher Weber, Chicago Tribune, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1954, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1