A structure fire is defined as a fire involving the structural components of various residential or commercial buildings.

However, a broader definition of structural fires includes: a fire originating in and burning any part or all of any building, shelter, automobile, aircraft, vessel or other structure. 

A wildland fire is any uncontrolled, non-structure fire that occurs in the wilderness, wildland or bush.  Wildfires differ from other fires by their extensive size; the speed at which they spread out from their original source; their ability to change direction unexpectedly; and to jump gaps, such as roads, rivers and fire breaks. 

Large amounts of open space and wildland make the City of Carlsbad susceptible to brush fires year round. Currently, the Carlsbad Fire Department has two Type 3 brush engines and conducts wildland firefighting training year round.

In the event of a large fire, Carlsbad has pre-existing mutual aid agreements with neighboring agencies to provide additional resources, which can include: personnel, equipment and firefighting aircraft.

In recent years, San Diego County has experienced large wildland fires that have burned thousands of structures and destroyed hundreds of thousands of acres.  There are steps that every homeowner can take to prepare in the event they are affected by a fire.