Bushfire and wildfire are two types of fires that spread due to different fuel loads. The bushfire is a kind of fire that is controllable.
The wildfire spreads in a fast manner, which would destroy grassy areas in less time. Many people get confused between these two types of fires, but they are different in many aspects.
Key Takeaways
- Wildfires occur in various ecosystems, including forests, grasslands, and savannas, whereas bushfires specifically involve burning bushland vegetation.
- Bushfires are common in Australia, while wildfires can happen in various countries and regions.
- Both wildfires and bushfires threaten human life, property, and natural habitats, but mitigation and prevention strategies may differ based on the ecosystem and region.
Wildfire vs Bushfire
The difference between wildlife and bushfire is that wildlife uses pine trees as fuel. On the other hand, bushfires use eucalyptus trees as fuel. The spreading ways of both wildfire and bushfire are different. The wildfire spread faster than bushfire. Bushfire is controllable, but controlling wildfire is herculean.
Wildfire happens in grassy areas. Wildfire is common in the United States, mainly in inflammable vegetation. Most of the time, the wildfires are unwanted and difficult to manage.
There are many types of wildfire, and the type of wildfire depends on the vegetation. The fire can happen in both urban and rural areas. The nature of wildfire depends on weather conditions, availability of fuel, and area.
Bushfire is a common fire in East Australia that comes with a history of killing humans and animals. Bushfire brings a high risk of damaging areas and properties associated with it.
The places with high temperatures or hot weather would catch bushfires very frequently. Strong wind is a big factor that affects the intensity of bushfires.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Wildfire | Bushfire |
|---|---|---|
| Characteristics | Mainly found in the United States | Mainly found in Australia |
| Fuel Requirement | Pine trees are the main fuel sources | Eucalyptus trees are the main fuel sources |
| Risks | Risk is higher than bushfire | Risk is lower than wildfire |
| Speed | Speed is higher than bushfire | Speed is lesser than wildfire |
| Controllable | The fire is uncontrollable | The fire is controllable |
What is Wildfire?
The fire is not easy to control and gets aggravated by heat or high temperature. The wildfire gets intense when it gets a good amount of oxygen.
The vegetation areas have good oxygen. This is the reason combustible vegetation is at high risk of getting wildfire. There is no specific way to control the wildfire as the fire is very intense.
The speed of wildfire is faster. Therefore, it has repercussions. Places with good moisture content would help in reducing the repercussion of wildfire.
Moisture would help in balancing the heat and stopping the fire. The death of humans and animals is very common due to wildfire. The presence of plants and trees increases the chances of wildfire.
There are some trees or plants that contain oils that catch fire easily. Eucalyptus plants contain oils that trigger fire, such as wildfire.
The wildfires would not burn above the surface as they burn the natural or organic matters present inside the soil. Therefore, controlling wildfire is difficult as it doesn’t burn in the outside world.
Fire tornados are common during wildfires. Wildfires can be natural or man-made, depending on the situation. The factors such as air pressure and topography influence the nature of wildfires.
What is Bushfire?
The risk associated with bushfires is lesser than wildfires. The bushfire can kill animals and humans, but this is rare. The bushfire can destroy crops, trees, plants, and fences.
The bushfires require a hot temperature, burning source, fuel, and less moisture content. The heat output of bushfires is very high as compared to wildfires.
The bushfire moves slowly, but the nature of the fire is dangerous. Bushfire can be controlled, but not in all cases. The climatic condition and environmental factors of the place would determine the lasting time of bushfires.
Bushfire can stay for a few days if the fire doesn’t get the sources to burn. Availability of ignition sources and heat would not allow the bushfire to stop.
Oxygen is a vital component that increases the speed of bushfires. Bushfire is less severe than wildfire. Controlling the bushfire is difficult as they can spread over a large area.
The speed of the bushfire is less, but the intensity is high. The embers are formed during the bushfires, which can spread to a large area. Bushfires can happen naturally or due to human actions.
Lightning is a big reason for causing bushfires. Sometimes, human actions, such as using heat-producing machines, can cause bushfires.
Self-heating and volcanic eruption are two reasons behind the bushfires. There are many types of bushfires, such as crown and ground fires. In some cases, bushfires may help the plants in detaching the seeds.
Main Differences Between Wildfire and Bushfire
- The speed of wildfire is faster than bushfire.
- Controlling wildfires is difficult as compared to bushfires.
- Wildfire uses pine trees as the fuel source, whereas bushfire requires eucalyptus trees as the fuel source.
- Wildfire is very common in the United States, whereas bushfire is common in Australia.
- The formation of fire tornados is common in the case of wildfire. On the other hand, the formation of embers is seen during a bushfire.
Last Updated : 22 July, 2023
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
