Top 5 US States for Acres Burned by Fire This Year

Firebrains | Post Tag for FireFire
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Credit: NIFC Facebook

The National Interagency Fire Centerย reports that January 1 to August 29, 2018, there were 43,448 wildfires, compared to 45,981 wildfires in the same period in 2017, and about 6.5 million acres were burned in the 2018 period, compared with 6.85 million in 2017, withย California holding the unenviable position of having had the most acres burned.

The Mendocino Complex fire broke out on July 27th in Northern California and grew to be the largest fire in state history with over 283,000 acres burned.ย 

california, fire, wildfire
Acres burned, 1980-2016. Credit: NIFC

Nearly 6,000 wildfires have burned over 1 million acres across California in 2018. To put it into perspective, 82% of acres burned were in NorCal.

california, fire, wildfire
Around 460,000 acres were the Mendocino Complex fire alone. Credit: NWS

Last year, beginning October 6 and continuing until October 25, eight counties in Northern California were hit by a devastating outbreak of wildfires which led to at least 23 fatalities, burned 245,000 acres and destroyed over 8,700 structures.


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