Last Updated: April 2026
Wildfire Statistics 2026: Acres Burned, Homes Destroyed & Evacuation Trends
Wildfires have become one of the most destructive and fast-moving natural hazards in the United States. Driven by decades of fire suppression, expanding development into fire-prone lands, prolonged drought, and a warming climate, wildfire seasons are now longer, more intense, and more costly than at any point in recorded history. This page compiles the most current wildfire statistics from the U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE, NOAA, and FEMA.
National Wildfire Overview
58,403
wildfires recorded in the U.S. in 2023
— National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), 2024
2.7M
acres burned by U.S. wildfires in 2023 — below the 10-year average of ~7M acres
— NIFC, 2024
~7M
average acres burned annually in the U.S. over the past decade (2014–2023)
— NIFC / U.S. Forest Service, 2024
10.1M
acres burned in 2020 — the highest single-year total in modern U.S. history
— NIFC, 2021
1970s → now
U.S. wildfire season has extended by approximately 78 days (2.5 months) since the 1970s due to earlier snowmelt and drier conditions
— U.S. Forest Service, 2022
70,000+
U.S. communities are at risk of wildfire damage in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI)
— U.S. Forest Service, 2023
46 million
U.S. homes are in or adjacent to fire-prone wildland areas
— Insurance Information Institute / U.S. Forest Service, 2023
Acres Burned & Fire Frequency
2x
the average annual acreage burned by U.S. wildfires from 2000–2023 compared to the 1990s
— NIFC / U.S. Forest Service, 2023
84%
of U.S. wildfires are caused by human activity (debris burning, equipment use, arson, power lines, campfires)
— PNAS / U.S. Forest Service, 2017 — remains the most cited figure through 2023
16%
of U.S. wildfires are caused by lightning — though lightning-caused fires often burn more acres due to remote locations
— U.S. Forest Service, 2023
60,000–90,000
typical annual wildfire count in the U.S. (10-year average)
— NIFC, 2024
$4.4B
federal firefighting expenditures in fiscal year 2022 — the highest on record at that time
— U.S. Forest Service, 2022
Homes & Structures Destroyed
3,569
structures destroyed by U.S. wildfires in 2023
— NIFC, 2024
10,488
structures destroyed by U.S. wildfires in 2022 — a higher-than-average year
— NIFC, 2023
18,804
structures destroyed in California alone during the 2018 fire season (Camp Fire + others)
— CAL FIRE, 2019
13,900+
structures destroyed in Los Angeles area wildfires of January 2025 — Palisades and Eaton fires
— CAL FIRE / CAL OES, 2025
~5,000/yr
average U.S. structures destroyed by wildfire annually (10-year average including outlier years)
— NIFC, 2024
Fatalities & Injuries
36
civilian deaths from U.S. wildfires in 2023
— NIFC, 2024
85
civilian deaths from the Camp Fire (Paradise, CA) in 2018 — the deadliest U.S. wildfire in 100 years
— CAL FIRE, 2018
29
civilian deaths in the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires (Palisades + Eaton fires)
— Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, 2025
~100
firefighter and civilian deaths combined in an average high wildfire year (including hotshot crews, air attack, and evacuees)
— NIFC / USFS, 2023
3x
higher lung disease and respiratory hospitalization rates recorded in communities during and after major wildfire smoke events
— CDC, 2022
Economic Costs
$21.5B
economic losses from California wildfires in 2018 alone
— NOAA NCEI, 2019
$150B+
estimated insured losses from the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires — potentially the costliest wildfire event in U.S. history
— Morningstar DBRS / Insurance industry estimates, 2025
$3.7B
average annual U.S. wildfire economic losses (2014–2023)
— NOAA NCEI, 2024
PG&E: $25.5B
settlement paid by Pacific Gas and Electric for wildfire damages caused by its equipment (2019–2020)
— PG&E / California courts, 2020
$76B
estimated total U.S. wildfire-related health costs per year due to smoke exposure (hospitalizations, premature death, productivity loss)
— Environmental Health Perspectives, 2020
California Wildfire Statistics
13 of 20
of California's 20 largest wildfires on record have occurred since 2000
— CAL FIRE, 2023
2.2M
acres burned by California wildfires in 2020 — a new state record at the time
— CAL FIRE, 2021
760,000
acres burned by the August Complex fire in 2020 — California's largest single wildfire ever recorded
— CAL FIRE, 2020
$1B+
annual CAL FIRE budget for fire prevention and suppression — doubled since 2020
— California Department of Finance, 2023
~400,000
Californians were under evacuation orders or warnings at the peak of the January 2025 Los Angeles fires
— Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Services, 2025
Evacuation Trends
500,000+
Americans evacuated from wildfire-threatened areas in 2020 — a record driven by California, Oregon, and Colorado fires
— FEMA, 2021
44%
of people in wildfire-prone areas say they do not have a wildfire evacuation plan
— American Red Cross, 2022
15 minutes
or less — how quickly residents in the Camp Fire (2018) had to evacuate; many had no prior warning
— CAL FIRE / ABC News, 2018
7%
of people under evacuation orders during major wildfires refuse to leave — endangering themselves and rescue personnel
— FEMA / Behavioral research studies, 2022
Cite This Page
SurvivalLab. "Wildfire Statistics 2026: Acres Burned, Homes Destroyed & Evacuation Trends." SurvivalLab, April 2026. https://survivallab.co/stats/wildfire-statistics-2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many wildfires occur in the U.S. each year?
The U.S. typically records between 60,000 and 90,000 wildfires annually. In 2023, there were 58,403 recorded wildfires — slightly below average. The number of fires has remained relatively stable over decades, but the total acreage burned has increased significantly as individual fires grow larger due to drought, fuel accumulation, and warmer temperatures.
How many acres do U.S. wildfires burn per year?
The 10-year average from 2014–2023 is approximately 7 million acres per year. 2020 was the worst year on record with over 10 million acres burned. California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska consistently account for the majority of burned acreage. Notably, 2023 was below average at 2.7 million acres burned.
Are wildfires getting worse over time?
Yes, by most key metrics. Average annual acreage burned has roughly doubled since the 1990s. The wildfire season has extended by approximately 78 days. More homes are being destroyed each decade as development expands into fire-prone Wildland-Urban Interface areas. Climate scientists project continued worsening as temperatures rise and drought conditions intensify across the western U.S.
What causes most wildfires in the United States?
Human activity causes approximately 84% of U.S. wildfires, according to a widely cited 2017 PNAS study that examined data through the early 2010s. Common human causes include power line failures, unattended campfires, debris burning, arson, fireworks, and equipment sparks. Lightning causes approximately 16% of fires but often accounts for a disproportionate share of acreage burned because lightning fires tend to ignite in remote areas with delayed detection and suppression response.
How can I prepare for a wildfire evacuation?
Wildfire preparation experts recommend: (1) creating a "go bag" ready to grab in under two minutes; (2) identifying multiple evacuation routes from your neighborhood; (3) signing up for local emergency alerts; (4) hardening your home (ember-resistant vents, tempered glass windows, Class A roofing); (5) maintaining a defensible space of 30 feet around your home; and (6) having a pre-determined out-of-area meeting point and contact. Given that some wildfires provide only 15–30 minutes of warning, pre-planning is critical.