In some legends, fire was a gift from the gods. But today, a fire is warm and friendly, if it is not too big and you follow certain rules. But what if it is uncontrollable and huge? Then it is a wildfire.

If you live in a dry climate, then you probably have seen smoke and big signs on the highway saying, “Smoke visible. Do not call 911!” There are multiple reasons why this happens, but probably the most shocking is controlled fires.

Yes controlled fires. Why? Because in controlled fires, a certain part of the forest burns, but the other part does not burn. As a result, the part of the forest that did not burn dries up, so trees fall. Add a spark, and there you have it: A wildfire.

Now, there are also other reasons this happens, like people not paying attention to fire restrictions. For example, not that long ago, presumably some hunters set off a fire.

So please, next time you are in a place with a dry climate, like in Colorado, check the fire restrictions. We Coloradans would really appreciate that.