brush fire

¹ American  

noun

1. a fire in an area of bushes, shrubs, or brush, as distinct from a forest fire.

2. any small but persistent problem, as within a large organization, a department of a government, or between nations.

   border skirmishes and other international brush fires.

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brush-fire ² American  

[bruhsh-fahy^uhr] / ˈbrʌʃˌfaɪər /

Or brushfire

adjective

1. limited in scope, area, or importance, as some labor disputes or local skirmishes.

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brush fire British  

noun

1. a fire in bushes and scrub

2. a minor local war

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Etymology

Origin of brush fire¹

An Americanism dating back to 1770–80

Origin of brush-fire²

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

The day of a 2.3- acre brush fire near Janss Road in Thousand Oaks last month, a drone team flew the blaze’s footprint and identified hot spots to help firefighters mop up.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2025

Fire crews quickly converged on a brush fire that ignited Tuesday evening in the Hollywood Hills below several homes, according to L.A. fire officials.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 2, 2025

A leading theory is that a smaller brush fire burning in the same area a week earlier was not fully extinguished.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 28, 2025

Fireworks are the suspected cause of a brush fire that ignited in a hilly area of Laguna Beach on Monday afternoon, prompting evacuations orders for a few hundred homes, officials said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2025

Word of Katherine not feeling well gets around quicker than a brush fire in August.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland