The Briefing
- An average of 70,000 wildfires blaze through the U.S. each year
- These fires destroy approximately 5.8 million acres of land on a yearly basis
- Over 43,000 fires have started across the U.S., burning 5 million acres of land as of Sept 3, 2021
This summer, record-breaking droughts and relentless heat waves have fueled disastrous wildfires across the United States. It’s gotten so bad, the state of California has decided to shut down all national parks for two weeks to stop the spread.
But how disastrous has this year been compared to previous years? This graphic gives a historical look at the number of wildfires in America that have occurred each year since 1990, and the acres of forest land scorched during that period.
Total Wildland Fires and Acres from 1990 to 2020
In the U.S., an average of 70,000 wildfires burn through 5.8 million acres of land each year. But some years have been worse than others.
Chart: 30 Years of Wildfires in America