'Human-Caused' Fires

<![CDATA[When a fire is said to be "human-caused," that term is a bit of a catch-all for any number of things. Wildfires can be the result of fireworks, hot mufflers, overheated brakes, careless burning, and/or campfires. Fires can spread as wind drives flames, and the super-heated air from a fire can dry out and even ignite fuels ahead of the flaming front. One of the other common ways for a fire to spread is through the actual convection column, or more colloquially, the massive towers of smoke, such as those we have seen in California. As the air heats up, it carries firebrands into the air, which, in some cases, can land a mile or more away from the main fire. I've seen it happen, and it is a scary lesson in fire behavior and weather.]]>