Wildfire burn area has been increasing in the US
Since 1983, when federal agencies began using the current method of tracking wildfires, the annual number of acres burned in the U.S. has trended upward, with more high-severity fires. Acreage burned in 2024 by the end of July was already well above 2023's total for the year.
Bars show the amount of acreage burned each year. Not every year is worse than the last, but the trend is an increase.
