a fire in an area of bushes, shrubs, or brush, as distinct from a forest fire.
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.
a fire in bushes and scrub
a minor local war
An Americanism dating back to 1770–80
First recorded in 1945–50
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Reports in French media say the blaze, near one of the parking lots at the airport, originated from a brush fire and then spread to a building.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
A small brush fire broke out in Encino on Tuesday afternoon, spurring a brief evacuation warning for areas surrounding the fire.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
A brush fire ignited inside Camp Pendleton on Wednesday morning, threatening structures and prompting an evacuation order for the base’s golf course and evacuation warnings in nearby areas of Oceanside, authorities said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
A brush fire broke out Monday in the suburbs of Los Angeles, spreading rapidly and prompting authorities to issue evacuation orders for thousands of residents.
From Barron's ● May 19, 2026
Word of Katherine not feeling well gets around quicker than a brush fire in August.
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
This approach would mimic the brush-fire pattern of the epidemic at the moment.
From Washington Post
But then the Charger's job is no more modern than its look; the turboprop plane is a jungle fighter, a volunteer for the brush-fire wars of today's world.
From Time Magazine Archive
One reason: a brush-fire price war has broken out among the airlines.
From Time Magazine Archive
The Army, while woefully in need of air transport, is streamlining itself so that it can quickly be flown to brush-fire war areas.
From Time Magazine Archive
The chimneys and the roof and the windows of the house showing no sign of smoke, he explored farther; and presently located the odor's origin in a small brush-fire at some distance behind the stables.
From Further Adventures of Lad by Terhune, Albert Payson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
