wildfire

noun

Definition of wildfirenext
as in blaze
a fire in a wild area (such as a forest) that is not controlled and that can burn a large area very quickly The recent wildfires were made worse by the strong winds.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wildfire Buchholz bought the home 12 years ago and said, back then, wildfire was far from people's minds. — John Ramos, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 Meanwhile several others, such as areas burned during wildfires and ocean heat levels, show evidence of acceleration or abrupt shifts. — Simmone Shah, Time, 14 Oct. 2026 Sacramento County residents who are signed up for emergency alerts should expect a test notification Thursday morning as officials check the system used to warn the public about wildfires, flooding, evacuations and other emergencies. — Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026 Total damage was estimated at $2 billion, the costliest wildfire in Colorado history. — Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wildfire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wildfire
  1. blaze
  2. inferno
  3. forest fire
  4. campfire
  5. bonfire
Noun
  • State investigators are still working to determine the cause of the blaze.
    — Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026
  • By de-energizing power lines, utility providers seek to lessen the chances that an electrical spark could be whipped by winds into a devastating blaze.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of blaze
Noun
  • Other passengers included André Breton, Victor Serge, and Claude Lévi-Strauss—all fleeing the inferno.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Four cars and two storage containers were damaged by the inferno, the fire department said.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of inferno
Noun
  • Similarly, a major firefighting operation was underway in southwest Germany near the village of Traisen, where the heat sparked a forest fire in an area that also contained unexploded ordnance.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 June 2026
  • This Anglican example near Beaufort, South Carolina, was built in the 1740s, but was largely destroyed by a forest fire in 1886.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 17 June 2026
Definition of forest fire
Noun
  • The crew decamped to Joshua Tree, jamming around a campfire and recording in a makeshift studio in their Airbnb.
    — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Look for notes of black pepper, vanilla, citrus, and maple over an assertive, smoky base made up of flavors like iodine, seaweed, campfire, and licorice, and just a touch of heat on the finish at 46 percent ABV.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of campfire
Noun
  • The arc of this feud is now well known to all and will no doubt be shaped into the epic poetry our descendants recite in front of bonfires long after our civilization collapses.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
  • That night, bonfires were set for a party that lasted into the morning.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of bonfire

Phrases Containing wildfire

Browse Nearby Words

wilderness
wildfire
wildfires
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wildfire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wildfire. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on wildfire

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wildfire

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