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
This can include avoiding the increasing number of wildfires or making sure to get homeowner's insurance on a house that could potentially be hit by a hurricane.
—
Joe Hindy, PCMAG, 28 Sep. 2024
Proposition 4 will shift us from disaster response to disaster prevention before the damage becomes too costly and unmanageable — preventing wildfires, providing safe drinking water for everyone, and protecting our forests, beaches and coasts.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2024
Most were intercepted or fell in open areas, sparking some wildfires, though one rocket hit a street in a town near the northern city of Safed.
—Bassem Mroue and Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2024
Witness the California wildfires and recent flooding in Milan, Italy.
—Ken Silverstein, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wildfire 
Joe Hindy, PCMAG, 28 Sep. 2024
Proposition 4 will shift us from disaster response to disaster prevention before the damage becomes too costly and unmanageable — preventing wildfires, providing safe drinking water for everyone, and protecting our forests, beaches and coasts.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2024
Most were intercepted or fell in open areas, sparking some wildfires, though one rocket hit a street in a town near the northern city of Safed.
—Bassem Mroue and Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2024
Witness the California wildfires and recent flooding in Milan, Italy.
—Ken Silverstein, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wildfire
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 5 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wildfire
noun
wild·fire
ˈwī(ə)l(d)-ˌfī(ə)r
: an uncontrollable fire that destroys a wide area
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