During a wildfire, the smallest component of the fire can be the most threatening: embers. Embers are small, glowing fragments of burning material, often carried by wind, that can spread a wildfire far beyond its original location. They are typically pieces of burning wood, leaves, or other vegetation that have broken off from the main fire. It’s estimated that 90% of homes burned during a wildfire result from embers.

Though they are often much smaller than the primary flames, embers can still be extremely dangerous for several reasons:

Embers can travel long distances. Embers can be lifted into the air by the heat of the fire or strong winds and carried for miles. This makes it possible for a wildfire to spread to areas far from the original fire, creating new spots of ignition, known as spot fires.

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Embers can ignite new fires. When an ember lands on dry, flammable material like grass, leaves, or vegetation, it can ignite that material and start a new fire. This is especially dangerous when fires are burning near urban areas. Embers can land on roofs, in gutters, or on other combustible materials and ignite fires that may spread quickly.

Embers are hard to detect. Embers are often small and can be difficult to see, especially at night. People may not notice them falling on their property or surroundings, and by the time they do, the new fire could have already started and spread.

Embers are especially dangerous during windy conditions. Wind can carry embers miles from the original fire, increasing the risk of new fires. Wind-driven embers can also ignite structures or vegetation that would otherwise be safe from direct flame exposure. In high-wind conditions, this makes it harder to control the spread of the fire.

Embers create challenges for firefighters. While firefighters focus on containing the main body of the wildfire, embers can continue to spread the fire in different directions, complicating containment efforts. Additionally, embers can reignite a fire after it appears to be under control, especially if they land on structures or other highly combustible areas.

Embers are one of the key factors in how wildfires spread, and their ability to travel long distances makes them a critical concern for both wildfire fighters and anyone living in or near wildfire-prone areas.

This segment originally appeared in today's edition of the Morning Brief newsletter. Sign up here to get weekday updates from The Weather Channel and our meteorologists.

J​ennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for weather.com. She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.