Did you know? Wildfire naming system in the US

The recent Diamond Fire in Scottsdale, Arizona, as above, quickly grew over 2500 acres and led to the evacuation of more than 1000 people. But why does this wildfire have a name?

We give names to plenty of natural disasters, including low pressure systems here in the UK and Ireland, and tropical cyclones across other parts of the world. In the US, they also name wildfires.

While most national storm centres such as the National Hurricane Center release a list of names each year, the format for wildfires is a little less organised.

Wildfires can occur at any time of year in the US, but often ramp up during the summer months. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, the US sees an average of 70,000 wildfires each year. So why do they get names?

Since wildfires can grow quickly, they are given names to make it easier for residents and firefighters to keep track of. Often, the first firefighters on scene are the ones who name the blaze.

Naming conventions can vary between firefighting agencies and legal authorities. In some cases, local authorities or fire management teams may have their own unique systems for naming wildfires.

Generally, wildfires are named for their geographic location. Nearby landmarks, like roads, lakes, rivers and mountains, can also be used when naming a fire.