PHOENIX — Wildfires in Arizona have some pretty unique names.
From the 1990 Dude Fire, to the 2000 Pumpkin Fire, to the Museum Fire currently burning north of Flagstaff, the fires that spark across the state also leave many scratching their heads.
The Museum Fire did not take place in a museum, so why is it called that?
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, naming wildfires is pretty simple -- and pretty fast.
Spokeswoman Babete Anderson told 12 News that wildfires are "generally named after a local landmark or the geographical location."
And as to who names the fires? Anderson said the firefighters who first arrive on scene do that.
"Sometimes the name may change or combine such as when multiple fires burn in the same general area and then are referred to as a 'complex,'" she added.
It's anyone's guess as to what the next wildfire will be named.
