Wildfires By Venise Tibbs

Basic information Wildfires can can spread at a rate of up to miles per hour They can cause up to millions in damages the fires can be caused by: Drought Lighting striking Human carelessness

By people More than four out five fires are caused by people Nationwide, humans cause almost 80% of wildfires, but in the American Southwest, 60% to 70% of forest fires are ignited by lightning In 2007, a fire in the Kula Forest Reserve destroyed close to 2,300 acres of land, burning for seven days. The fire was traced to a cigarette butt, which had been improperly disposed.

By drought in forests when dead material becomes dry it gives of fuel which combust when the environment experiences drought Years of precipitation followed by warm periods have encouraged more widespread fires and longer fire seasons.

By lighting dry lighting is the cause of wildfires When the higher levels of the atmosphere are cooler, and the surface is warmed to extreme temperatures due to a wildfire convection will occur, and the convection produces lightning. Therefore, fire can beget dry lightning through the development of more dry thunderstorms which cause more fires.

questions What can be done to stop wildfires? What is the environment like where a wildfire can happen naturally? Why is so hard for firemen to put them out?

bibliography atural-disasters/wildfires.htmlhttp://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/n atural-disasters/wildfires.html usesoffire.shtmlhttp://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/forestfires/ca usesoffire.shtml