Which characteristic describes wildland V-shaped fire patterns?

V-shaped fire patterns in wildland fires are significantly influenced by environmental factors such as wind and slope direction. The shape of the pattern results from the way the fire travels across the landscape. Fire tends to spread more rapidly uphill and is influenced by wind, which pushes the flames and hot gases, causing the fire to expand in a V shape that points in the direction of the wind and the slope. This characteristic is critical for fire investigators who need to understand how these external forces impact fire behavior and spread.

The other options do not accurately capture the defining features of wildland V-shaped fire patterns. A vertical shape does not represent the actual behavior of fires, as they follow the path of least resistance and are affected more by environmental conditions. The idea that these fires always originate at the top of the V is misleading, as fires can start anywhere within the area and then spread to form the V shape based on those influencing factors. Lastly, uniformity in size does not apply, as V-shaped patterns can vary widely in size depending on the intensity of the fire and the conditions present at the scene.