Image by Getty Images; Illustration by Austin Courregé/Bankrate
Key takeaways
- A wildfire is an uncontrolled, unpredictable and unplanned burn in an area of naturally ignitable vegetation. While prairies, forests and grasslands are standard wildfire zones, suburban areas backing up to wildlife are frequently impacted.
- Unless otherwise excluded, a typical homeowners policy covers damage from a fire to your dwelling, other structures and personal property. A renters insurance policy will cover damage to your personal property. The amount and type of insurance payout depends on your provider and policy selection.
- Homes in regions with a high risk from wildfires might not qualify for a standard homeowners insurance policy.
Globally, forest fires are now responsible for 15 million more acres of tree cover loss annually compared to the beginning of the 21st century. The United States is no exception to this trend, with 2015 and 2020 standing out as peak years for acreage burned.
In 2024 alone, wildfires caused $1.8 billion in damage nationwide. Having the right homeowners insurance in place can be key to helping offset the cost of wildfire damage. Here, we examine the most recent statistics and data for U.S. wildfires, including how to file a claim if your home is impacted by smoke or fire.
Wildfire statistics for 2024
Bushfire, brushfire, forest fire, rural fire and wildland fire are different terms for wildfire. The region and characteristics of the fire determine the type. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), wildfires are an increasing concern not only due to the loss of property but also their impact on air quality, crops, resources, transportation and the health of animals and people. Most wildfires are caused by human activity, such as unattended campfires and discarded cigarettes, while some are caused by lava and lightning.
The latest data on wildfires in the U.S.
The worst wildfires in U.S. history
Triple-I rated the costliest wildland fires in the United States. Based on its data, the top five were all in California, each causing several billions of dollars in insured losses.
- Camp Fire, 2018: Total damage from what is currently the costliest U.S. wildfire of all time is estimated at $10 billion, or roughly $11.8 billion in 2022 (when accounting for inflation). The fire burned 18,804 structures and 153,335 acres of woodland.
- Tubbs Fire, 2017: The Tubbs Fire incurred $8.7 billion in estimated insured losses, or about $10.5 billion in 2022 value. This electrical fire caused 36,807 acres of woodland and 5,636 structures to burn.
- Woolsey Fire, 2018: The Woolsey Fire caused estimated losses of $4.2 billion, nearly $5 billion after accounting for inflation. 1,643 structures and 96,949 acres of woodland were destroyed.
- Oakland Fire (Tunnel), 1991: This wildfire in the early ’90s caused estimated losses of $1.7 billion, or $3.7 billion in 2022 value. 2,900 structures and 1,600 acres of woodland were damaged.
- Atlas Fire, 2017: The Atlas Fire cost about $3 billion in damage, or what would be $3.7 billion in 2022. The fire caused damage to 903 structures and burned 51,624 acres of woodland.
2025 Los Angeles Fires
In January 2025, a series of wildfires devastated Los Angeles, fueled by dry, hurricane-force Santa Ana winds. The largest of the two — the Palisades and Eaton fires — are still burning at the time of writing and have destroyed more than 16,000 structures. The total damage is still being calculated, but a preliminary estimate from AccuWeather put total economic losses north of $250 billion. Together, the Palisades and Eaton fires are forecast to be the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history.
Wildfires in recent years
The NIFC collects year-over-year data on U.S. wildfires, although recordkeeping did not begin until 1983.
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Year Number of fires Number of acres affected 2024 61,685 8,851,142 2023 56,580 2,693,910 2022 68,988 7,577,183 2021 58,985 7,125,643 2020 58,950 10,122,336 2019 50,477 4,664,364 2018 58,083 8,767,492 2017 71,499 10,026,086 2016 67,743 5,509,995 2015 68,151 10,125,149 2014 63,312 3,595,613 2013 47,579 4,319,546 2012 67,774 9,326,238 2011 74,126 8,711,367 2010 71,971 3,422,724 2009 78,792 5,921,786 2008 78,979 5,292,468 2007 85,705 9,328,045 2006 96,385 9,873,745 2005 66,753 8,689,389 2004 65,461 8,097,880* 2003 63,629 3,960,842 2002 73,457 7,184,712 2001 84,079 3,570,911 2000 92,250 7,393,493 1999 92,487 5,626,093 1998 81,043 1,329,704 1997 66,196 2,856,959 1996 96,363 6,065,998 1995 82,234 1,840,546 1994 79,107 4,073,579 1993 58,810 1,797,574 1992 87,394 2,069,929 1991 75,754 2,953,578 1990 66,481 4,621,621 1989 48,949 1,827,310 1988 72,750 5,009,290 1987 71,300 2,447,296 1986 85,907 2,719,162 1985 82,591 2,896,147 1984 20,493 1,148,409 1983 18,229 1,323,666 *North Carolina state lands are exempt from 2004 fires and acreage.
Wildfire suppression
Fires need fuel, heat and oxygen to burn. Wildfire suppression involves managing, modifying, preventing or extinguishing a wildfire. Several strategies can be used to suppress wildfires, including creating control lines using prescribed burns or natural barriers like rocky slopes or large barren soil areas and removing the fire’s fuel source by using hand tools or heavy equipment to remove quick-burning vegetation. National Guard members may also be deployed to support efforts, providing air assistance for mapping the fire and dropping flame retardant and water, as well as offering assistance on the ground to firefighters and EMTs. The area’s landscape, plus fire and weather conditions, determine the method used.
The NIFC compiles data on annual suppression costs for U.S. wildfires. The five-year average cost to the Forest Service is over $2 billion, while the cost to Department of Insurance (DOI) agencies was more than $525 million. The total 10-year average is less, at around $1.9 billion, suggesting that the price of suppressing these fires is going up over time.
At nearly $4.4 billion, 2021 was the most expensive year for total fire suppression costs since recordkeeping began in 1985, when the total annual costs topped out at just under $240 million.
Annual wildfire suppression costs
| Year | Forest Service | DOI agencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $2,700,000,000 | $466,300,000 | $3,166,300,000 |
| 2022 | $2,900,000,000 | $649,000,000 | $3,549,000,000 |
| 2021 | $3,741,000,000 | $648,000,000 | $4,389,000,000 |
| 2020 | $1,764,000,000 | $510,000,000 | $2,274,000,000 |
| 2019 | $1,150,000,000 | $440,000,000 | $1,590,000,000 |
| 2018 | $2,615,256,000 | $528,000,000 | $3,143,256,000 |
| 2017 | $2,410,165,000 | $508,000,000 | $2,918,165,000 |
| 2016 | $1,603,806,000 | $371,739,000 | $1,975,545,000 |
| 2015 | $1,713,000,000 | $417,543,000 | $2,130,543,000 |
Wildfire statistics by state
To best understand how wildfires affect different regions of the U.S., this NIFC table shows the number of wildfires by cause and type in 2023.
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State Human fires Lightning fires Total fires Total acres burned Number of fires Number of acres burned Number of fires Number of acres burned Alabama 1,840 18,224 16 111 1,856 18,335 Alaska 170 738 176 313,539 346 314,276 Arizona 1,306 75,823 531 112,660 1,837 188,483 Arkansas 138 4,520 9 1,139 147 5,659 California 6,746 143,265 618 189,458 7,364 332,722 Colorado 328 22,798 533 19,119 861 41,917 Connecticut 499 297 0 0 499 297 Delaware 1 0 0 0 1 0 D.C. N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Florida 2,138 56,007 592 43,635 2,730 99,642 Georgia 2,383 10,316 3 14 2,386 10,330 Hawaii 188 12,059 26 0 214 12,059 Idaho 591 65,352 301 22,449 892 87,801 Illinois 22 111 0 0 22 111 Indiana 47 522 0 0 47 522 Iowa 6 6 0 0 6 6 Kansas 48 17,960 1 3 49 17,963 Kentucky 9 70 0 0 9 70 Louisiana 1,461 22,068 6 36 1,467 22,103 Maine 475 318 18 7 493 325 Maryland 186 4,426 10 60 196 4,486 Massachusetts 1,074 1,468 5 0 1,079 1,468 Michigan 449 4,115 17 172 466 4,287 Minnesota 828 9,410 8 6 836 9,416 Mississippi 2,372 51,952 11 557 2,383 52,508 Missouri 127 9,449 0 0 127 9,499 Montana 1,258 35,753 404 87,380 1,662 123,133 Nebraska 511 178,933 58 1,800 569 180,733 Nevada 209 824 166 476 375 1,300 New Hampshire 52 58 0 0 52 58 New Jersey 1,194 18,033 0 0 1,194 18,033 New Mexico 587 25,864 432 186,514 1,019 212,378 New York 147 1,372 3 11 150 1,383 North Carolina 5,175 68,284 39 5,689 5,214 73,953 North Dakota 434 4,120 37 63 471 4,183 Ohio 883 2,469 0 0 883 2,469 Oklahoma 1,580 162,490 0 0 1,580 162,490 Oregon 1,394 108,848 585 93,188 1,979 202,035 Pennsylvania 1,899 9,623 11 5 1,910 9,628 Rhode Island 78 582 0 0 78 582 South Carolina 20 484 2 107 22 591 South Dakota 123 831 54 114 177 945 Tennessee 764 15,208 8 186 772 15,394 Texas 6,708 172,550 394 37,714 7,102 210,264 Utah 374 3,299 408 14,810 782 18,109 Vermont 67 62 0 0 67 62 Virginia 40 12,078 3 7 43 12,085 Washington 1,411 124,772 296 26,545 1,707 151,316 West Virginia 1,120 45,614 4 65 1,124 45,679 Wisconsin 1,085 4,858 1 25 1,086 4,883 Wyoming 152 4,932 97 3,002 249 7,934
Riskiest states for wildfires
California is by far the most at-risk state for wildfires in the U.S., according to CoreLogic, with nearly four times the number of properties at risk in 2024 as the second-highest state (Colorado). Below are the top at-risk states based on the number of properties at extreme risk.
| Rank | State | Number of moderate or greater at-risk properties | Total value of at-risk properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | California | 1,258,748 | $769.4B |
| 2. | Colorado | 321,294 | $140.9B |
| 3. | Texas | 244,617 | $88.4B |
| 4. | Oregon | 129,567 | $45.3B |
| 5. | Arizona | 124,603 | $36.2B |
| 6. | Idaho | 104,782 | $34.9B |
| 7. | New Mexico | 120,093 | $34.7B |
| 8. | Utah | 67,023 | $32.3B |
| 9. | Montana | 88,102 | $31.3B |
| 10. | Washington | 59,563 | $20.9B |
| 11. | Nevada | 22,768 | $14.7B |
| 12. | South Dakota | 26,697 | $8.4B |
| 13. | Wyoming | 16,215 | $5.7B |
| 14. | Oklahoma | 1,624 | $4M |
California’s wildfire risk
Why are California wildfires so dangerous? In part, it has to do with where some homes are built. California has the most homes along urban wildland interfaces — where spans of dry vegetation border developed lands. When a wildfire sparks here, there’s a higher concentration of buildings in the path of the blaze, thus leading to greater insured losses.
Fire damage restoration
The average home insurance policy covers the structure of your home, as well as personal belongings and additional living expenses, should you be affected by a wildfire. Those with renters insurance, condo insurance and manufactured or mobile home insurance should check their policies to ensure adequate coverage in case of a wildfire.
However, if you live in a high-risk area, such as California, you could be denied coverage. In this case, the California FAIR Plan is one option that offers basic coverage for high-risk customers who typically cannot find standard home insurance. After a record year of wildfires in 2018, it was estimated that 350,000 California home and business owners could not purchase adequate property and casualty insurance because of the increased risk that providers were facing. Significant issues were created for homeowners with mortgages who were required to carry home insurance coverage as a condition of their loans.
Many home insurance policies cover damage from wildfires, as well as smoke damage. If your home or property is damaged by smoke, you can file a claim with your insurance company. Most carriers offer several ways to file a claim, including online, over the phone and through a mobile app. Once the claim is filed, an insurance adjuster will be assigned to your case and provide you with next steps. Be aware that the claims process can move slowly when there are numerous structures and vehicles affected. In the meantime, consider taking photos and videos of the damage and retain receipts for any out-of-pocket expenses that might be covered as part of your homeowners claim.
You may wish to call a remediation company that can start the process of repairing your home after smoke or fire damage while you wait for further guidance from your insurer. The remediation company can work with you to save damaged items as evidence to support your claim.
Frequently asked questions
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend having a clear wildfire preparation plan for children, individuals with medical conditions, pets and livestock. Make sure to be familiar with different routes to leave your home and local shelter options. Emergency supplies and go-bags should be on hand with 72-hours worth of reserves. If possible, create a “clean-room” in your home — a room with few windows and doors with a portable air cleaner — for a fire situation that allows you to remain in your home (meaning, you are not told to evacuate) as long as you can maintain safe air quality.
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Wildfire season happens at different times across the nation and can come early or late depending on how wet the winter was and how dry the summer will be. August and September will be peak wildfire season for Northern California and September to November will be peak wildfire season for Central and Southern California. However, more than ever before, California experiences wildfires year-round. Parts of Idaho, Montana, northern Nevada, Oregon and Washington could see wildfires as early as June and may hit peak wildfire season between July and September. Check with your local fire department to know when to be on guard for wildfires in your region.
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Staying alert and prepared is the best way to keep safe during a wildfire. If a fire is in your area, check (or sign up for) constant alerts in case you need to leave. Some basic necessities to keep readily available are a crank or battery-powered radio, N-95 mask, charged cell phone, flashlight, sturdy shoes and water. When it is time to evacuate, make sure everyone is wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants made from cotton or other flame-resistant materials to protect their skin and goggles or glasses to protect their eyes.
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