5.1M ac
2025 (latest)
WILDFIRE ACRES BURNED
acres · 1983–2025 · neither direction is "better" · National Interagency Fire Center
1.3M ac
1983
10.1M ac
high · 2015
1.1M ac
low · 1984
+288%
since 1983
┊ dashed lines mark 1987 Black Monday crash · 1991 Gulf War recession · 2001 Dot-com bust & 9/11 · 2008 Global financial crisis · 2020 COVID-19 pandemic
Method & caveats. Annual wildfires table, Acres column; 1983–2025 only. Pre-1983 records are not comparable; series starts in 1983. Breaks: Pre-1983 records are not comparable; series starts in 1983.
Sources
Every value on this page is read from the publisher below. Current and historical source documents:
- https://www.nifc.gov/fire-information/statistics/wildfires
- https://github.com/danielmiessler/substrate/tree/main/Data/US-Energy-And-Environment
Data
| Year | Wildfire acres burned | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.1M ac | −43% |
| 2024 | 8.9M ac | +231% |
| 2023 | 2.7M ac | −64% |
| 2022 | 7.6M ac | +6% |
| 2021 | 7.1M ac | −30% |
| 2020 | 10.1M ac | +117% |
| 2019 | 4.7M ac | −47% |
| 2018 | 8.8M ac | −13% |
| 2017 | 10.0M ac | +82% |
| 2016 | 5.5M ac | −46% |
| 2015 | 10.1M ac | +182% |
| 2014 | 3.6M ac | −17% |
| 2013 | 4.3M ac | −54% |
| 2012 | 9.3M ac | +7% |
| 2011 | 8.7M ac | +155% |
| 2010 | 3.4M ac | −42% |
| 2009 | 5.9M ac | +12% |
| 2008 | 5.3M ac | −43% |
| 2007 | 9.3M ac | −6% |
| 2006 | 9.9M ac | +14% |
| 2005 | 8.7M ac | +7% |
| 2004 | 8.1M ac | +104% |
| 2003 | 4.0M ac | −45% |
| 2002 | 7.2M ac | +101% |
| 2001 | 3.6M ac | −52% |
| 2000 | 7.4M ac | +31% |
| 1999 | 5.6M ac | +323% |
| 1998 | 1.3M ac | −53% |
| 1997 | 2.9M ac | −53% |
| 1996 | 6.1M ac | +230% |
| 1995 | 1.8M ac | −55% |
| 1994 | 4.1M ac | +127% |
| 1993 | 1.8M ac | −13% |
| 1992 | 2.1M ac | −30% |
| 1991 | 3.0M ac | −36% |
| 1990 | 4.6M ac | +153% |
| 1989 | 1.8M ac | −64% |
| 1988 | 5.0M ac | +105% |
| 1987 | 2.4M ac | −10% |
| 1986 | 2.7M ac | −6% |
| 1985 | 2.9M ac | +152% |
| 1984 | 1.1M ac | −13% |
| 1983 | 1.3M ac | — |
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