brush fire

brush fire
1. a fire in an area of bushes, shrubs, or brush, as distinct from a forest fire.
2. 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.
[1770-80, Amer.]

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      fire in vegetation that is less than 1.8 m (6 feet) tall, such as grasses, grains, brush, and saplings. See wildland fire.

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Universalium. 2010.

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