10.1 Wildfires

By martin.hilljegerdes |
Satellite image of a wildfire at Mount Kilimanjaro

A wildfire is an unplanned fire that burns in a natural area such as a forest, a grassland or a prairie; it can happen anywhere at any time. Wildfires are often caused by human activity or triggered by a natural phenomenon, such as lightning. In 50 per cent of wildfires recorded, it is not known how they started.