Large, highly destructive ‘fast fires’ are often in grasslands or shrublands and fanned by strong winds, according to a study of satellite data from over 60,000 U.S. fires. This animation highlights the leading role of wind in the 2020 Labor Day fires in Washington and Oregon, a notable group of fast fires. To be considered a fast fire, blazes must achieve a growth rate of at least 16 square kilometers (6 square miles) in a day. Only 3% of the more than 60,000 fires analyzed in the study were fa