How do wildfires start?

How do wildfires start? A fire needs three things: fuel, oxygen and heat. Firefighters often talk about the fire triangle when they're trying to put out a blaze. The idea is that if they can take away any one of those elements they can control and ultimately extinguish the fire. read more

Humans have long recognized the rejuvenating power of fire. Systematic burning gave greater access to food, for example, opening land for foraging and cultivation. And although the practice is less common today, many prescribed fires (also known as controlled burns) are set each year to coax swathes of land back to a fully functioning state. read more

A fire needs three things: fuel, oxygen and heat. Firefighters often talk about the fire triangle when they're trying to put out a blaze. read more

Sometimes, fires occur naturally, ignited by heat from the sun or a lightning strike. However, the majority of wildfires are the result of human carelessness. Causes include arson, campfires, discarding lit cigarettes, not burning debris properly, playing with matches or fireworks. As yet, we don't know how the fires in Alberta started. read more