5 Big Questions About Wildfires

Wildfires are fires that begin in wilderness areas, like forests. They can be hard to control. Some even spread to nearby towns.

Last year, thousands of wildfires burned more than 7 million acres across the United States. Western states were especially hard hit by the fires. 

One cause of the fires in Western states is drought. During a drought, grass, trees, and other plants get dry.

It doesn’t take much to turn this dry brush into a fire. Lightning during a storm or a spark from a campfire can easily start a blaze.

When a wildfire starts, aerial teams are often the first to arrive. 

Crews in spotter planes gather information about the blaze. They work with firefighters on the ground to figure out the best way to stop it. Spotters also work with special planes that drop chemicals to slow the fire’s spread.

Meanwhile, helicopters carry firefighters to the edges of the blaze to attack it from the ground. Helicopters also drop water to create escape paths for people running from the fire.

And smokejumpers help too!

Smokejumpers work to put fires out before they spread. They fly to a fire in planes and jump out with parachutes.

Once they’re on the ground, they clear strips of land around fires. They use tools like axes to remove trees, leaves, and other materials that can burn. Dirt doesn’t burn. The strips of dirt, or fire lines, help keep a fire from spreading.

Yes! In some areas, people bring in goats to help create fire lines. Goats don’t need tools like axes to remove the brush. They use their teeth! They love gobbling up dry brush—and they’re great at climbing steep hills. Plus, humans don’t need to remove the brush. Goats carry it away in their bellies!

1. What is “dry brush”? What clue in the text helps you know?
2. What can you learn from the map on page 4?
3. Why are planes and helicopters important in fighting wildfires?