Ignition Sources

Wildland fires can be caused by both natural and anthropogenic mechanisms. While types of ignition are relatively standard across the southeastern U.S., the rates at which certain sources occur are not. For example, in Florida the most common sources of ignition from 1998 to 2002 were lightning (25%), incendiaries (20%), debris burning (18%), and equipment (Florida Division of Forestry 2003; see also Florida Forest Protection Bureau). In North Carolina the three most common sources of ignition from 1997 to 2001 were debris burning (41%), incendiaries (20%), and children (9%) (North Carolina Division of Forest Resources 2001).