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U.S. States Most Impacted by Wildfires

U.S. States Most Impacted by Wildfires

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

By David Heacock

Annual wildfires have ravaged the country in the past few years, taking over the news cycle each summer. Of the ten most expensive wildfires on record, only two occurred before 2017, according to the Insurance Information Institute. The Western states aren’t the only ones worried about fire season anymore. Smoky orange skies continue to trend online as winds carry smoke and ash thousands of miles across the nation. This previously-rare weather phenomenon is now to be expected every year.

The defining wildfire event of 2020—the August Complex Fire—was started by a series of Northern California lightning strikes, and quickly became the largest wildfire event in the state’s history. While California gets much of the attention for wildfires, several other states have been severely impacted as well. Behind California’s 4.1 million acres burned in 2020 were 1.1 million acres in Oregon, almost 1 million acres in Arizona, and 842,000 acres in Washington. Nationwide, the number of acres burned each year over the past 15 years is up considerably compared to the same timeframe prior to 2005, even though the number of fires has noticeably declined.

Data of total number of acres burned each year.

While lightning is an obvious cause of wildfires, the National Park Service has attributed nearly 85% of wildfires to human activity, including campfires, debris fires, powerlines, electrical malfunctions, cigarettes, and arson. When assessing the damage done by wildfires, though, lightning-caused fires have historically been more destructive. Data from the National Interagency Fire Center show that lightning accounted for the great majority of burned acres since 2001, though there have been several years where more land area was burned by human-caused fires.

Data of causes of wildfires in 2020.

The severity of wildfires is largely affected by climate conditions, and in 2021, several western states remain trapped in a persistent “megadrought.” Large portions of the region—including parts of Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California, New Mexico, Colorado, and Oregon—face “exceptional” levels of drought, which is the U.S. Drought Monitor's most severe category.

Canadian Wildfires

As of June 2023, Canadian wildfires are making headlines globally. Despite firefighting efforts from multiple countries, hundreds of wildfires continued to burn in Canada. Last Friday, 421 fires were still active, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

On Sunday, poor air quality returned to the north-eastern United States, although it was not as severe as the recent heavy haze caused by smoke from wildfires up north. At its peak, the air quality index (AQI) in New York City reached over 400 and was categorized as "hazardous," particularly for those with heart or lung problems. While air quality has generally improved since the previous week, measuring at 104 AQI, smoke inhalation is still a potential danger for millions of Americans.

In Pennsylvania, the state department of environmental protection declared an air quality action day and issued a code orange alert due to elevated ozone levels in multiple regions. Ozone forms when airborne chemicals react with sunlight; high levels are common during summer. The department advised vulnerable populations, such as young children and the elderly, to limit outdoor activities and conserve electricity.

The Maryland environmental department also issued a code orange alert for the Baltimore region, stating that the unhealthy air quality was due to ozone and smoke from wildfires.

California Wildfires

Based on recent trends, California has been the state most threatened by wildfires, as 40% of all burned acres last year fell within its borders. California also had the most properties at risk of wildfire damage by a significant margin. According to the Insurance Information Institute, its 2 million at-risk properties were nearly three times as many as the 718,000 in Texas, 371,000 in Colorado, and 238,000 in Arizona.

Wildfire and smoke surround a car on the road

However, wildfires affect each state differently. More sparsely populated states like Montana and Idaho, for example, have only the fifth-highest and ninth-highest number of properties at risk for wildfire damage, yet those properties represent between a quarter and a third of all properties in the state, whereas only 15% of properties in California are estimated to be at risk.

To determine the impact that wildfires have had on various states, researchers at Filterbuy compiled data from the National Interagency Fire Center and the U.S. Census Bureau for 2022, then ranked states by the total number of acres burned. Related data included in the analysis were the total number of fires, the burned acreage as a proportion of the state’s total land area, and human-caused fire acreage as a proportion of total fire acreage.

Here are the 15 states that were hit hardest by wildfires last year.

U.S. States Most Impacted by Wildfires in 2022

  1. A long road winds up a hillside meadow, dotted with tufts of grass.Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    Nevada

    • Total acres burned: 58,402
    • Total number of fires: 506
    • Burned acreage as a proportion of total land area: 0.08%
    • Total acres of human-caused fires: 20,921

  2. Awash in the warm glow of a golden sunset, a vibrant tapestry of residential houses unfolds beneath.Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    Kentucky

    • Total acres burned: 59,199
    • Total number of fires: 1,280
    • Burned acreage as a proportion of total land area: 0.2%
    • Total acres of human-caused fires: 59,198

  3. view of majestic blue mountains shrouded in a sea of clouds, with trees standing tall in the foreground.Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    Nebraska

    • Total acres burned: 76,534
    • Total number of fires: 568
    • Burned acreage as a proportion of total land area: 0.2%
    • Total acres of human-caused fires: 71,121

  4. A reddish sky, collection of buildings at the background and rocky hills at the foreground.Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    Kansas

    • Total acres burned: 84,015
    • Total number of fires: 67
    • Burned acreage as a proportion of total land area: 0.2%
    • Total acres of human-caused fires: 80,089

  5. A collection of buildings stands tall, silhouetted against a vibrant sunset.Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    Arizona

    • Total acres burned: 124,165
    • Total number of fires: 1,432
    • Burned acreage as a proportion of total land area: 0.2%
    • Total acres of human-caused fires: 71,535

  6. An aerial view of buildings with blue mountains at the background.Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    Montana

    • Total acres burned: 137,509
    • Total number of fires: 2,087
    • Burned acreage as a proportion of total land area: 0.1%
    • Total acres of human-caused fires: 50,582

  7. An aerial view of buildings with blue cotton like clounds at the background.Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    Florida

    • Total acres burned: 339,783
    • Total number of fires: 828
    • Burned acreage as a proportion of total land area: 0.4%
    • Total acres of human-caused fires: 11,843

  8. An aerial view of buildings with mountains at the background.Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    Washington

    • Total acres burned: 173,659
    • Total number of fires: 1,492
    • Burned acreage as a proportion of total land area: 0.4%
    • Total acres of human-caused fires: 105,550

  9. The majestic Golden Bridge stretches across a calm sea, bathed in the light of red clouds above.Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    California

    • Total acres burned: 309,287
    • Total number of fires: 7,884
    • Burned acreage as a proportion of total land area: 0.3%
    • Total acres of human-caused fires: 250,394

  10. A calm body of water reflects the colors of a sunset, with a dam standing beside it.Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    Oklahoma

    • Total acres burned: 355,133
    • Total number of fires: 2,811
    • Burned acreage as a proportion of total land area: 0.8%
    • Total acres of human-caused fires: 383,950

  11. Sunset rays cast a silhouette of a lone tree branch standing tall in the meadow.Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    Oregon

    • Total acres burned: 436,082
    • Total number of fires: 2,117
    • Burned acreage as a proportion of total land area: 0.7%
    • Total acres of human-caused fires: 56,201

  12. A grassy meadow stretches out, divided by a fence in the middle. Blue mountains rise majestically in the background.Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    Idaho

    • Total acres burned: 436,733
    • Total number of fires: 1,008
    • Burned acreage as a proportion of total land area: 0.8%
    • Total acres of human-caused fires: 230,898

  13. A church stands tall, towering over the other buildings in the background.Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    Texas

    • Total acres burned: 671,800
    • Total number of fires: 12,571
    • Burned acreage as a proportion of total land area: 0.4%
    • Total acres of human-caused fires: 584,691

  14. Lush trees in the foreground frame a view of buildings in the middle ground, with mountains rising in the background.Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    New Mexico

    • Total acres burned: 859,906
    • Total number of fires: 748
    • Burned acreage as a proportion of total land area: 1.1%
    • Total acres of human-caused fires: 847,283

  15. Lush trees in the foreground whisper secrets in the breeze, while majestic mountains rise under a watchful moon.Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

    Alaska

    • Total acres burned: 3,110,976
    • Total number of fires: 595
    • Burned acreage as a proportion of total land area: 0.7%
    • Total acres of human-caused fires: 11,843

Detailed Findings & Methodology

The data used in this analysis is from the National Interagency Fire Center. To determine the states most impacted by wildfires, researchers ranked them by total acres burned in 2022 In addition, researchers included the total number of fires in 2022, burned acreage as a proportion of the state’s total land area, and human-caused fire acreage as a proportion of total fire acreage.

How Air Filters Reduce Fire Season Smoke Inhalation

Air filters reduce wildfire smoke inhalation by directly capturing ash and smoke particles from your indoor air. Not all air filters are made equally, though. Only certain types of air filters can filter out wildfire smoke. Filterbuy’s MERV 13 air filters are the most effective for removing smoke from your home. MERV 13 filters can capture fine wildfire smoke particles without restricting airflow.

Before and after air filters

All HVAC systems are different, so choosing the right filter can be a challenge. The correct air filter can drastically improve indoor air quality and reduce smoke inhalation during fire season. However, the wrong air filter can break your system entirely. To help you find the perfect filter fit, take our MERV Match Quiz.

HAVE YOU MET YOUR MERV MATCH? TAKE THE QUIZ

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