Our 2024 forest fire surprising facts and statistics report is based on the most recent wildfire figures and data from the National Interagency Fire Center Annual Report. The annual report includes wildfire data through the 2023 year end.
The report condenses and summarized the most important and surprising statistics, facts, and trends from the National Interagency Fire Center annual report. We also utilized the source data to create forest fire fighting efficiency metrics by state.
We used our forest fire fighting efficiency calculations to rank the relative efficiency levels of each US state based on source data provided by the National Interagency Fire Center Annual Report.
The sources for all statistics referenced in our report can be found at the bottom of the article. We were very surprised by some of the ranking results and hope that our statistics might help identify areas where individual states can direct more resources to be more efficient when suppressing forest fire incidents.
Forest Fire Statistics Introduction
In 2023, there were 56,580 wildfires reported in the United States, an 18% decline compared to 68,988 forest fires reported in 2022. Of the total, 50,697 (90%) of forest fires were caused by humans and 5,883 (10%) of forest fires were caused by lighting.
When you look closer at the statistics, there is wide divergence by geography.
The first section of this report will focus on some of the key wildfire statistics by state in 2023.
The second section of this report will focus on national US forest fire statistics in 2023 and how they compare with prior year periods.
Section 1: 2023 Wildfire Statistics by State
Most Surprising US State Wildfire Statistics
- Alaska ranked 32nd for total wildfires by state with 346 wildfires, but ranked second for total number of acres lost in wildfires with 314,276 thousand acres lost in forest fires in 2023.
- 5 States accounted for 44% of total wildfires in 2023 (California (#1), Texas (#2), North Carolina (#3), Georgia (#4), and Oklahoma (#5).
- North Carolina had the 3rd most forest fires in 2023 with 5,214 wildfires and South Carolina had the 5th least amount of forest fires in 2023 with just 22 wildfires.
- The top 5 States accounted for 46% of total acres lost in wildfires in 2023 (California (#1), Alaska (#2), New Mexico (#3), Texas (#4), and Oregon (#5).
- California ranked 1st in forest fires caused by lightning with 618 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023 (11% of total lightning caused forest fires in the US).
- California ranked 1st for forest fires caused by humans with 6,746 human caused forest fires in 2023 (13% of total human caused forest fires in the US).
Forest Fire Fighting Efficiency Statistics
When forest fires happen, being able to rapidly deploy fire fighters to problem areas and contain wildfires as quickly as possible is critical.
We compared the statistics in 2023 and found a surprising difference in the US states with the most efficient ability to contain forest fires vs the US states that had the least efficient ability to contain forest fires.
We evaluated forest fire fighting efficiency by dividing the total number of acres lost in forest fires with the total number of forest fires. This calculation provided a measure of the average number of acres lost per wildfire occurrence.
5 States with the Highest Number of Acres Lost per Wildfire
- Alaska - Lost 908.3 acres for each wildfire that occurred in 2023.
- Kansas - Lost 366.5 acres for each wildfire that occurred in 2023.
- Nebraska - Lost 317.6 acres for each wildfire that occurred in 2023.
- Virginia - Lost 281 acres for each wildfire that occurred in 2023.
- New Mexico - Lost 208.4 acres for each wildfire that occurred in 2023.
5 States with the Lowest Number of Acres Lost per Wildfire
- Connecticut - Lost .6 acres for each wildfire that occurred in 2023.
- Maine - Lost .7 acres for each wildfire that occurred in 2023.
- Vermont - Lost .9 acres for each wildfire that occurred in 2023.
- Iowa - Lost 1 acre for each wildfire that occurred in 2023.
- New Hampshire - Lost 1.1 acre for each wildfire that occurred in 2023.
General Wildfire Statistics by US State
The following statistics highlight trends among the US states for number of wildfires, total acres lost in wildfires, and causes of wildfires.
5 States with the Largest Number of Wildfires
- California - 7,364 forest fires in 2023; 13% of total wildfires.
- Texas - 7,102 forest fires in 2023; 12.6% of total wildfires.
- North Carolina - 5,214 forest fires in 2023; 9% of total wildfires.
- Florida - 2,730 forest fires in 2023; 5% of total wildfires.
- Georgia - 2,386 forest fires in 2023; 4% of total wildfires.
5 States with the Least Number of Wildfires
- Delaware - 1 forest fire in 2023.
- Iowa - 6 forest fires in 2023.
- Kentucky - 9 forest fires in 2023.
- Illinois - 22 forest fires in 2023.
- South Carolina - 22 forest fires in 2023.
5 States with the Highest Number of Lightning Caused Forest Fires
- California - 618 forest fires caused by lighting in 2023; 11% of the total.
- Florida - 592 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023; 10% of the total.
- Oregon - 585 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023; 10% of the total.
- Colorado - 533 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023; 9% of the total.
- Arizona - 531 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023; 9% of the total.
Total States with 0 Lightning Caused Forest Fires
- Delaware - 0 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023.
- Iowa - 0 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023.
- Kentucky - 0 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023.
- Illinois - 0 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023.
- Indiana - 0 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023.
- New Hampshire - 0 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023.
- Vermont - 0 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023.
- Rhode Island - 0 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023.
- Missouri - 0 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023.
- Connecticut - 0 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023.
- Ohio - 0 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023.
- New Jersey - 0 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023.
- Oklahoma - 0 forest fires caused by lightning in 2023.
5 States with the Highest Number of Human Caused Forest Fires
- California - 6,746 forest fires caused by humans in 2023; 13% of the total.
- Texas - 6,708 forest fires caused by humans in 2023; 13% of the total.
- North Carolina - 5,175 forest fires caused by humans in 2023; 10% of the total.
- Georgia - 2,385 forest fires caused by humans in 2023; 5% of the total.
- Mississippi - 2,372 forest fires caused by humans in 2023; 5% of the total.
5 States with the Least Number of Human Caused Forest Fires
- Delaware - 1 forest fire caused by humans in 2023.
- Iowa - 6 forest fires caused by humans in 2023.
- Kentucky - 9 forest fires caused by humans in 2023.
- South Carolina - 20 forest fires caused by humans in 2023.
- Illinois - 22 forest fires caused by humans in 2023.
5 States with the Highest Number of Acreage Lost in Forest Fires
- California - 332,722 acres lost in forest fires in 2023.
- Alaska - 314,276 acres lost in forest fires in 2023.
- New Mexico - 212,378 acres lost in forest fires in 2023.
- Texas - 210,264 acres lost in forest fires in 2023.
- Oregon - 202,035 acres lost in forest fires in 2023.
5 States with the Least Number of Acreage Lost in Forest Fires
- Delaware - 0 acres lost in forest fires in 2023.
- Iowa - 6 acres lost in forest fires in 2023.
- New Hampshire - 58 acres lost in forest fires in 2023.
- Vermont - 62 acres lost in forest fires in 2023.
- Kentucky - 70 acres lost in forest fires in 2023.
Full List of Wildfire Statistics by State in 2023
The following list highlights the number of wildfires that occurred in each state as well as the amount of damaged acres that occurred following the wildfires.
The third column represents the amount of damaged acres that occurred per wildfire. This statistic is an indication of the relative efficiency that each state was able to suppress a wildfire when it occurred.
States with a high number of damaged acres per wildfire may have faced an unusually bad wildfire in a given year. A high number may also indicate that a state was just not as efficient with utilizing its firefighting resources compared with other states.
States with high relative amounts of damaged acres per fire represent higher potential risk for damage to personal property and wildlife within the forests.
|
State |
Number of Wildfires |
Damaged Acres |
Damaged Acres / per Wildfire |
|
Alabama |
1,856 |
18,335 |
9.9 |
|
Alaska |
346 |
314,276 |
908.3 |
|
Arizona |
1,837 |
188,483 |
102.6 |
|
Arkansas |
147 |
5,659 |
38.5 |
|
California |
7,364 |
332,722 |
45.2 |
|
Colorado |
861 |
41,917 |
48.7 |
|
Connecticut |
499 |
297 |
.6 |
|
Delaware |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Florida |
2,730 |
99,642 |
36.5 |
|
Georgia |
2,386 |
10,330 |
4.3 |
|
Hawaii |
214 |
12,059 |
56.4 |
|
Idaho |
892 |
87,801 |
98.4 |
|
Illinois |
22 |
111 |
5 |
|
Indiana |
47 |
521 |
11.1 |
|
Iowa |
6 |
6 |
1 |
|
Kansas |
49 |
17,963 |
366.6 |
|
Kentucky |
9 |
70 |
7.8 |
|
Louisiana |
1,467 |
22,103 |
15.1 |
|
Maine |
493 |
325 |
66 |
|
Maryland |
196 |
4,486 |
22.9 |
|
Massachusetts |
1,079 |
1,468 |
1.4 |
|
Michigan |
466 |
4,287 |
9.2 |
|
Minnesota |
836 |
52,508 |
62.8 |
|
Mississippi |
2,383 |
52,508 |
22 |
|
Missouri |
127 |
9,499 |
74.8 |
|
Montana |
1,662 |
123,133 |
74.1 |
|
Nebraska |
569 |
180,733 |
317.6 |
|
Nevada |
375 |
1,300 |
3.5 |
|
New Hampshire |
52 |
58 |
1.1 |
|
New Jersey |
1,194 |
18,033 |
15.1 |
|
New Mexico |
1,019 |
212,378 |
208.4 |
|
New York |
150 |
1,383 |
9.2 |
|
North Carolina |
5,214 |
73,593 |
14.1 |
|
North Dakota |
471 |
4,183 |
8.9 |
|
Ohio |
883 |
2,469 |
2.8 |
|
Oklahoma |
1,580 |
162,489 |
102.8 |
|
Oregon |
1,979 |
202,035 |
102.1 |
|
Pennsylvania |
1,910 |
9,628 |
5 |
|
Rhode Island |
78 |
591 |
26.9 |
|
South Carolina |
22 |
677 |
30.8 |
|
South Dakota |
177 |
945 |
5.3 |
|
Tennessee |
772 |
15,394 |
19.9 |
|
Texas |
7,102 |
210,264 |
29.6 |
|
Utah |
782 |
18,109 |
23.2 |
|
Vermont |
67 |
62 |
.9 |
|
Virginia |
43 |
12,085 |
281 |
|
Washington |
1,707 |
151,316 |
88.6 |
|
West Virginia |
1,124 |
45,679 |
40.6 |
|
Wisconsin |
1,086 |
4,883 |
4.5 |
|
Wyoming |
249 |
7,934 |
31.9 |
|
Total |
56,580 |
2,736,635 |
48.4 |
Section 2: US Wildfire Statistics National Trends
Total Number of Wildfires in 2023 vs 2022
- 56,580 United States wildfires were reported in 2023 vs 68,988 US wildfires in 2022.
- 2023 US wildfires decreased by 18% compared to 2022 US wildfires.
Large Wildfires vs Total Wildfires
- 891 large wildfires were reported in the US in 2023.
- Large wildfires represented 1.6% of the 56,580 total US wildfires in 2023.
*Large wildfires mean that the fire burned a minimum of 100 acres of timber.
Total Number of Wildfires in 2023 vs Historical Records
- In 2023, there were 56,580 total wildfires in the United States.
- The record number of wildfires occurred in 2006 when 96,385 wildfires occurred.
- 2006 US wildfires of 96,385 exceeded 2023 wildfires by 70%.
Total Number of Acreage Consumed by Wildfires 2023 vs 2022
- In 2023, US wildfires destroyed 2.7 million acres compared to 7.6 million acres in 2022.
- 2023 US wildfires destroyed 64% less acres compared to 2022.
2023 Acres Consumed by Wildfire vs Historical Records
- The record year for acres consumed by wildfire occurred in 2015 when 10.1 million acres were consumed by wildfire compared to 2.7 million acres consumed in 2023.
- 2015 acres consumed by wildfire exceeded 2022 by 269%.
2023 Structures Destroyed by US Wildfire
- 4,318 structures were destroyed by US wildfires in 2023.
- 3,036 residences were destroyed by wildfires (70% of total).
- 1,228 minor structures were destroyed (28% of total).
- 3 mixed commercial structures were destroyed.
2023 State with Largest Number of Structures Destroyed by US Wildfires
- Hawaii lost 2,308 residences due to wildfires in 2023.
- Hawaii lost structures represented 53% of total US structures destroyed by wildfire in 2023.
Wildfire Statistics & Data Sources:
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