🔥 Californian & Alaskan Fires Accounted for 25% of Wildfire Area Burned in 2023

What We’re Showing

A chart representing the total area burned by wildfires in 2023, by state, based on figures from the National Interagency Coordination Center.

Key Takeaways

• Wildfires in California and Alaska were responsible for one-fourth of all land burned in 2023
• Per the New York Times, climate change is leading to longer, hotter, and drier summers in western states, increasing the intensity of wildfires, and related damage
• In contrast, Delaware saw 0 acres burned by wildfire in 2023
• As it happens, 2023 was a record year in the country—the lowest area burned since 1998, thanks to an unusually wet summer