What's the criteria for "naming" a wildfire?

[MrCoffee]

Is it where the fire starts? Is it an informal practice among firefighters, or is there some central authority that formally names wildfires (like with hurricanes)?

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. You just read it off their nametags.

:silly:

[ohiosmith]

2. Usually named for the area by the firefighters.

[MrCoffee]

3. and the media just picks up on it? makes sense.

[ohiosmith]

4. See, I'm not just a pretty face.

[Oeditpus Rex]

10. At a press conference

or via press release.

[Lisa]

5. in Canada they have a name and either a year or a number ...

Location, and something to keep them distinct in case of confusion between different years.

[ohiosmith]

6. Canadians are so anal.

[Lisa]

8. that's right! and we assign them different colors when we do a map overlay ...

They look prettier that way.

[Roon]

7. I know in Colorado, the person that first spots the fire

is the one that names it. We had some crazy lady start the worst fire in Colorado history. (It almost got our cabin) she was a forest ranger and she is the one that got to name it. The Hayman fire. This woman is in prison now.

[WCGreen]

9. If it's the first one who spots the fire...

I'm surprised more aren't named....

Holy Fuck....