NIFC · Acres burned

Wildfire Smoke Impact

The smoke that now routinely blankets American cities is driven by how much land burns. While the number of fires has held roughly steady, the acreage they consume has climbed sharply — the 2010s and 2020s have burned far more than the 1980s and 1990s, feeding bigger and more widespread smoke events.

Wildfire Smoke Impact — PublicChartsU.S. wildfire acres burned each year since 1983 — the rising fire activity behind worsening smoke. Source: NIFC.Wildfire Smoke ImpactThe smoke that now routinely blankets American cities is driven by how much land burns. While the number of fires has held roughly steady, the acreage they consume has climbed sharply — the 2010s and 2020s have burned far more than the 1980s and 1990s, feeding bigger and more widespread smoke events.