While lightning remains a major cause of fires, individuals continue to cause them inadvertently.

The Texas A & M Fire Service lists the following potential “dumb human” causes of wildfires:

• Campfires
• Sparks from welding and grinding equipment
• Recklessly discarded smoking items e.g. butts, matches
• Hot vehicle pollution control equipment
• Arson
• Fireworks
• Broken glass—catches the sun’s rays acting as a magnifying glass

One of the most common human-based causes of wildfires is the careless burning of debris. This may consist of household trash, brush and leaf piles, garden spots, etc. Fortunately, while you cannot stop lightning from striking, you can prevent many of these types of wildfires.