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Wildfire in Northwest Territories, Canada

A wildfire is a large and uncontrolled fire that spreads rapidly, typically in a woodland setting. In order to start and perpetuate, wildfires require three things — oxygen, fuel (any flammable material in the wildfire's vicinity), and a heat source to spark the fire and heat fuel sources enough to be ignitable. While lightning, changing weather patterns and the sun itself can serve as heat sources, 80-90 percent of wildfires are caused by humans or human-related incidents.

A form of natural disaster, wildfires become deadly and destructive very quickly. They can engulf acres of land and consume everything in their wakes in a span of minutes, moving as fast as 14 mph. 4 million acres of land are estimated to be burned every year in the US due to wildfires.

Despite their highly damaging nature, wildfires also play a key role in preserving ecosystems. They destroyed diseased plants, help return nutrients to the forest floor by burning dead matter, and help sunlight reach seedlings by burning through forest canopies. In Australia, where wildfires are especially common, certain native flora have even evolved to depend on wildfires for their existence. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

The Rim Fire in Yosemite

The Rim Fire in Yosemite

How we fight wildfires

September 9, 2013, 10:17 a.m. by Tanya Lewis, LiveScience

Drones, satellites, computer models and good old fashioned water help experts battle intense blazes.

Whales tan to avoid sunburn

September 3, 2013, 4:44 p.m. by John Platt

It turns out the ocean is the world's biggest tanning bed.

Time lapse video of California's Rim Fire

August 29, 2013, 11:38 a.m. by Melissa Hincha-Ownby

Amazing footage of the ever-growing fire that is spreading farther into Yosemite National Park.

Prescribed burn in a giant sequoia grove in Kings Canyon National Park in California

Prescribed burn in a giant sequoia grove in Kings Canyon National Park in California

Giant sequoia trees threatened by Yosemite fire

August 27, 2013, 11:24 a.m. by Becky Oskin, LiveScience

While giant sequoias have evolved to withstand frequent forest fires, the current wildfire is spreading from the treetops, posing a new challenge.

Yosemite wildfire

Yosemite wildfire

Yosemite fire nears San Francisco water source

August 26, 2013, 9:18 a.m.

Video: The huge wildfire burning around Yosemite National Park is about 7 percent contained. Park officials say it's approaching the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, the source of San Francisco's drinking water. City officials say the water quality is good.

Is this a movie set or just firefighting practice?

July 29, 2013, 12 p.m. by Photo Blog

A team of Air Force firefighters don shiny heat-resistant gear to extinguish burning jet fuel during a training exercise.

Alaska Wildfire

Alaska Wildfire

Wildfires in subarctic's boreal forests on the rise

July 23, 2013, 1:39 p.m. by Joseph Castro, LiveScience

Charcoal from the Yukon Flats of Alaska provides a glimpse into the region's wildfire history and how its vegetation has recovered.

Oct. 8, 1871: The day America burned

July 15, 2013, 12:51 p.m. by John Platt

The Great Chicago Fire started that terrible Sunday, but so did two other massive and deadly wildfires.

Watch: Farmer races to save his crop from creeping wildfire

July 10, 2013, 11:43 a.m. by Shea Gunther

Check out the mad dash of this heroic farmer carving out a firebreak with his tractor to stave off a spreading wildfire.

How the West was burned: Deadly wildfires sweep through U.S.

July 8, 2013, 2:10 p.m. by Photo Blog

Massive wildfires in Arizona, Colorado and Nevada burn thousands of acres and kill dozens of people, leaving nothing behind but scorched earth and broken hearts.

Arizona wildfire

Arizona wildfire

19 firefighters killed in fast-moving Arizona blaze

July 1, 2013, 9:21 a.m.

Video: Fanned by hot winds, a deadly blaze exploded out of control on Sunday in Arizona, overtaking 19 firefighters, 18 of them from the same elite Prescott, Ariz., Granite Mountain Hotshots team.

The screenshot shows the so-called Springs fire burning in Ventura County.

The screenshot shows the so-called Springs fire burning in Ventura County.

Frequent fires? New tool reveals climate impact by ZIP code

June 21, 2013, 6:19 p.m. by Frances Beinecke, Natural Resources Defense Council

The new NRDC app is meant to spur individuals to action to combat climate change in their own communities.

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