2024 North American Wildfires - Center for Disaster Philanthropy (original) (raw)
The North American wildfire season typically runs from spring to fall (although it varies by region).
However, as the effects of climate change increase, disasters continue to shirk the expected seasonal rules, occurring with ever-increasing frequency and intensity.
CDP’s North American wildfire profile runs by calendar year and typically covers wildfires in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Wildfires in other countries in North America will be included depending on size and severity.
We cannot share information on every fire across the continent. CDP typically focuses our coverage on fires that significantly impact the communities and affect residents, especially at-risk populations.
(Photo by Ross Stone on Unsplash)
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Sept. 10, 2024
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Key facts
- In 2022, almost 80 million properties in the U.S., or 1 in 6 people, were at risk of wildfire.
- By 2052, half of the people at risk of wildfire will live in the South.
- For two to five years after a wildfire, there is an increased risk of flooding, with flash flooding in burn scars leading to debris flows, as charred vegetation and other items are picked up by rushing water.
- A study published in Forests in 2022 found that:
- Counties with higher wildfire risks tend to have higher rates of poverty.
- Census tracts that are majority Hispanic, Native American or Black experience 50% greater vulnerability to wildfires (compared to majority white census tracts).
- One study found that Native Americans living in tribal communities in the U.S. now face two additional extreme heat days compared to their historical lands. They also received 23% less precipitation, 36.3% of tribal lands dealt with increased drought, and 47.7% of tribes faced increased risk from wildfires. This is a direct impact of settler colonialism.
- About 85% of U.S. wildfires are caused by people.
- Wildfires exacerbate existing affordable housing crises throughout North America.
Climate change and impacts
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: “Climate change, including increased heat, extended drought, and a thirsty atmosphere, has been a key driver in increasing the risk and extent of wildfires in the western United States during the last two decades. Wildfires require the alignment of a number of factors, including temperature, humidity, and the lack of moisture in fuels, such as trees, shrubs, grasses, and forest debris. All these factors have strong direct or indirect ties to climate variability and climate change.”
United States
The National Preparedness Level – set by the National Interagency Coordination Center and the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group – is currently at Level 3, which means: ”Mobilization of resources nationally is required to sustain incident management operations in active geographic areas. National priorities are established to address the demand for shared resources among active geographic areas. There is a moderate to high probability that drawing down resources from non-active geographic areas may pose a risk should existing conditions change.”
The National Interagency Fire Center statistics show that as of Sept. 26, 2024, 38,143 fires this year have burned more than 7.8 million acres. The year-to-date (YTD) number of wildfires is below the annual average of 45,772, but the yearly acres burned is above the 10-year YTD average of 55.9 million acres. Currently, 34 large, active fires are being managed across the nation and have burned 1.6 million acres.
Arizona
California
As of Sept. 26, California has experienced 6,378 wildfires, with nearly one million acres burned. CalFire reported in early August that the total acres burned this year is 29 times more than last year, with overall wildfire activity 2,816% higher. Significant humanitarian concerns are mounting in both Northern and Southern California as thousands of residents have been evacuated and will face medium- to long-term displacement.
There has been one civilian fatality; 254 structures have been damaged and 1,433 structures have been destroyed.
A 2024 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that dangerous particulate matter from wildfire smoke disproportionately-affected California’s Indigenous communities.
Significant active 2024 wildfires include:
- The Airport Fire is burning in the Southern California counties of Orange and Riverside since Sept. 9; as of Sept. 26, it has reached just over 23,500 acres and is 95% contained. The Airport Fire caused 22 emergency personnel and civilian injuries, and it destroyed 160 structures and damaged 34 others. While evacuation orders have been lifted now that spread is mostly contained, at least 80 households have no home to return to.
- The Bridge Fire ignited due to unknown causes on Sept. 8 and as of Sept. 26 it has reached 97% containment. Burning at almost 55,000 acres in Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties, it put thousands of residents under evacuation orders in its initial days; most have been lifted and residents are returning home. The final Cal Fire report issued on Sept. 26 notes that 81 structures were destroyed, 19 were damaged, and 5 people were injured as a result of the Bridge Fire. As recovery needs assessments begin, it’s important to highlight where mitigation and preparedness efforts worked to prevent catastrophe.
- The Line Fire, also burning in San Bernardino County, is an arson-caused wildfire that started in the city of Highland on Sept. 5. It has burned more than 39,232 acres and has 83% containment as of Sept. 26. Its proximity to population centers means it is classified as an immediate threat to life, and a mixture of evacuation orders and evacuation warnings have been issued to residents of the surrounding areas. According to Cal Fire, four structures have been damaged and one destroyed.
- The Park Fire started on July 24 in Upper Bidwell Park, east of Chico, and spread rapidly, reaching across 429,603 acres in Butte, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama counties by Aug. 26. It reached 99% containment on Sept. 8. At more than 600 square miles, this is 13 times the size of San Francisco or a bigger area than New York City or Los Angeles.
- This tool created by CDP grantee partner CalMatters allows users to compare the size of the Park Fire with the area they live in.
- The Park Fire is the fourth-largest wildfire in California’s history, exceeding 2020’s SCU Lightning Complex, and the second-largest single (not complex) wildfire in the state’s history.
- More than 700 structures, including homes, were destroyed (54 were damaged) by the blaze, many in Butte County.
- Although many evacuees have returned home, hundreds are facing long-term displacement.
Other significant California fires in 2024
CDP California Wildfires Fund grantee partner CalMatters maintains an interactive wildfire tracker which is updated daily.
You can support CDP’s response to wildfires in the state by donating to our California Wildfires Recovery Fund.
Related reading
Colorado
Hawaii (Hawai'i)
Idaho
As of Sept. 26, there are currently 75 active fires burning around 318,000 total acres in Idaho, with many erupting after a storm system passed across the state on Aug. 5. A firefighter was left in critical condition, having suffered “life-altering injuries,” after a tree fell on him while fighting the Coffee Can Saddle Fire.
Significant active wildfires in Idaho as of Sept. 26 include:
- The Lava and Boulder Fires merged in Valley County on Sept. 9 and as of Sept. 26 have a combined acreage of almost 98,000 acres. Crews have reached 67% containment, and local authorities have lifted mandatory evacuation orders, although several zones remain under “be ready” evacuation guidance.
- The Goat Fire is burning across 26,000 acres near Cascade. As of Sept. 26, its perimeter was 43% contained.
- The Middle Fork Complex Fire, which as of Sept. 26 contains the Bullfrog and Nellie Fires, has reached 61,482 acres and is at 90% containment. It is burning nine miles outside of Garden Valley; the fire was caused by lightning occurrences during the severe thunderstorms experienced across the state on the night of Aug. 5.
- The Snag Fire is burning just east of Cascade, causing a hard closure of the Warm Lake Highway. As of Sept. 26, it had burned more than 33,000 acres and is at 90% containment.
- The Wapiti Fire ignited on the evening of July 24 just south of Grandjean, spanning parts of the Boise National Forest and Sawtooth National Forest. As of Sept. 26, it had grown to more than 125,000 acres and has held for more than a week at72% containment. Evacuation notices are being posted on the Boise and Custer Counties Sheriffs’ Facebook Pages.
Other significant 2024 Idaho wildfires:
Montana
Wildfires have burned nearly 360,000 acres in Montana this year; more than half of those fires were ignited by humans.
There are currently 65 active wildfires burning nearly 388,000 acres throughout the state as of Sept. 26, and air quality concerns from wildfire smoke have arisen for population centers throughout the state.
One notable 2024 wildfire is:
- The Remington Fire burned close to 200,000 acres between when it started on Aug. 22 in Sheridan County, Wyoming, and when it was fully contained in late September. The blaze spread into three counties in Southeastern Montana and placed multiple rural communities at risk, including the North Cheyenne Indian Reservation. The fire damaged fencing and created extreme challenges for ranchers.
Nevada
There are no active significant wildfires in Nevada as of Sept. 26.
Past notable wildfires of 2024:
- The Davis Fire, burning 15 miles south of Reno, impacted at least 14 structures since it ignited on Sept. 7. It has spread approximately 5,800 acres and was at 92% containment as of Sept. 20.
New Mexico
Two devastating wildfires in southern New Mexico began on June 18 and continued to wreak havoc, destroying over 1,400 structures, scorching more than 20,000 acres, and forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents, including the entire village of Ruidoso. Ruidoso, a popular tourist destination with around 7,000 residents, saw apocalyptic scenes on June 17 – smoke-darkened skies, raining embers and visible flames as evacuation orders abruptly came through with little notice. Traffic jammed downtown streets as residents hastily fled with few belongings.
South Fork Fire: A wildfire ignited on Monday, June 17 in the Mescalero Apache tribal region and rapidly spread beyond tribal land, destroying 1,400 structures and engulfing approximately 17,500 acres by the evening of June 18. As of July 15, the fire was 99% contained.
Salt Fire: Nearly 8,000 acres of the Mescalero Apache Tribe’s land was consumed. As of July 15, the fire was 99% contained.
Flooding, mudslides and debris flows from monsoon rains pummeled the burn scars of both fires beginning July 9, creating compounded emergencies for impacted residents.
FEMA has stepped in and recovery efforts are underway. The Village of Ruidoso has increased utility rates to about $139 per month per household – this is the first bill increase in more than a decade – to address maintenance and equipment replacement needs. This will likely place a financial strain on already-strapped residents who will be economically impacted by recovery.
You can support CDP’s response to wildfires in New Mexico by donating to our Disaster Recovery Fund.
Related reading
Oklahoma
Several fires burned across Oklahoma, including the Smokehouse Creek Fire, which is listed in the Texas section above.
These fires include the Catesby Fire in Ellis County which burned 90,699 acres and was fully contained as of March 17.
The Slapout Fire in Beaver County burned 26,048 acres and was 100% contained as of March 8.
Related reading
Oregon
Wildfires have burned more acres in Oregon this year than any other year since fire recordkeeping began in the state.
As of Sept. 26, the State of Oregon’s Fires Dashboard is tracking 106 active fires. The National Interagency Fire Center is tracking the 12 most significant fires in the state.
In honor of National Preparedness Month in September, the state of Oregon announced a new contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that gives access to high-tech evacuation software to all of Oregon’s counties and Tribal Nations. The software is being trialed during the management of the evacuation of residents under threat from the Rail Ridge Fire.
Current significant Oregon wildfires include:
- The Rail Ridge Fire is burning near Dayville. At over 165,000 acres burned, it is 61% contained as of Sept. 26. The fire poses risk to people and structures, and nearby population centers are under evacuation notices.
Previous 2024 wildfires of note include:
- Battle Mountain Complex Fire
- Cow Valley Fire
- Crazy Creek Fire
- Lone Rock Fire
- Falls Fire
Texas
Earlier this year, Texas experienced two megafires, including a record-setting million-acre fire that destroyed more than 500 structures and caused the deaths of more than 10,000 head of cattle. The fire was allegedly caused by a downed electrical pole belonging to Xcel Energy; the utility company is facing several class-action lawsuits.
You can support CDP’s response to wildfires in Texas by donating to our Disaster Recovery Fund.
Related reading
Washington State
As of Sept. 26, four fires of note were burning for a total acreage burned of 15,506. No current fires pose significant threat to life or to structures.
Wyoming
As of Sept. 26, the National Interagency Fire Center was tracking two fires burning in Wyoming spanning just over 25,000 miles. Neither poses significant risk at this time. Along the Montana-Wyoming border, nearly 1 million total acres have burned in 2024.
Significant fires include:
- The Short Draw Fire, along the border with Montana, was discovered on Sept. 10 and by Sept. 20 had burned more than 40,000 acres across Wyoming and Montana. As of Sept. 26, it is fully contained. Five homes and dozens of outbuildings were destroyed by the blaze.
Significant past fires in 2024 include:
- Constitution and Flat Rock Fires
- House Draw Fire
- Remington Fire
Canada
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) coordinates resource sharing, mutual aid and information sharing including, facilitation of wildfire cooperation and coordination.
The current National Preparedness Level is set to Level 1 meaning: “Wildland fire activity is minimal, and most jurisdictions experience light/moderate wildland fire danger. The demand firefighters and equipment from other jurisdictions is light.”
CIFFC’s National Situation Report is published daily between May and August (weekly in shoulder seasons as needed) and provides information on fire activity from the previous calendar day, including seasonal cumulative.
As of the final Situation Report for 2024 issued on Sept. 25, Canada has seen 5,383 fires, which have burned 13.34 million acres of land. There have been more fires, but less damage compared to 2023’s year-to-date totals for that date, when Canada had experienced 5,367 fires, which had burned around 40 million acres.
There have been two firefighter deaths in 2024; one in Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette in Quebec and one fighting the Jasper Complex Fire in Alberta.
In the More Canadian Fire Resources section below you will find links to the fire page for each province and territory.
Alberta
In Alberta, there are 60 active fires, including one carry-over fire from 2023. As of Sept. 26, 48 fires are under control, 12 are being held and one is out of control. In addition to the 60 fires burning currently, there have been 1,104 fires to date, which burned 1.7 million acres.
British Columbia (BC)
British Columbia has 184 active fires as of Sept. 26, 2024. Of those, 18 are out of control. Since April 2024, BC has experienced 1,640 fires, which have burned 2.6 million acres. Three Indigenous nations have active evacuation orders or alerts.
In 2023, wildfires burned a record amount of land (7.03 million acres) in the province, more than doubling the previous record set in 2018 (3.35 million acres). Over one-third of the Canadian fires in 2023 occurred in BC.
Manitoba
As of Sept. 26, 65 fires are burning in Manitoba and there have been 291 fires to date in the province. In 2024, there has been a total of 660,000 acres burned. Three current out-of-control fires which have been burning since mid-July account for half of the total land burned this year.
Northwest Territories (NWT)
In Canada’s far north, the NWT has reported a total of 172 fires in 2024 with 46 active fires and 43 fires out of control, as of Sept. 26. A total of 4.1 million acres has burned this year.
NWT has a population of only 45,000 people. Two-thirds of this northern, near-Arctic territory was displaced by wildfires at least once during the summer of 2023, including the territory’s capital city, Yellowknife, home to 20,000 people.
Quebec
The province reports two small fires currently burning. This year, there have been 466 fires that have burned 655,897 acres as of Sept. 19. While this is well above the ten-year average of 287,017 acres burned, it is significantly below Quebec’s record-breaking year in 2023 when more than 11 million acres burned.
Saskatchewan
As of Sept. 26, there have been 595 fires in the province this year, compared to the five-year-average of 373. There are 23 active fires; none fire is uncontained. The fires have burned about 2.4 million acres.
Notable 2024 Canadian fires
The Jasper Complex Fire, the largest wildfire seen in Alberta’s Jasper National Park in more than a century, consumed one-third of the structures in the popular tourist town of Jasper. It burned from July 22 to Sept. 7, when it was contained, although smoke is expected to be seen until winter. In the first three days of the fires, 20,000 people were evacuated. Some of the town’s 5,000 residents have been allowed to return, but many will be displaced for months or longer.
The fire burned 80,857 acres and officials estimate that of Jasper’s 1,113 structures, 358 were destroyed. However, because of multi-unit housing, about 800 housing units were lost. As a tourist-based economy, some residents have lost both their jobs and their homes. Officials estimate that 208millionUSD(208 million USD (208millionUSD(283 million CDN) in property was destroyed, along with a 1.6millionUSD(1.6 million USD (1.6millionUSD(2.2 million CDN) loss of property tax revenue.
A video and photo interactive from CBC highlights the extent of the damage, including a map showing the number of structures destroyed.
Source: Parks Canada – Maligne Lodge
More Canadian fire resources
Mexico
Fire season in Mexico is generally in February and peaks mid-March through May.
According to the June 14, 2024, North American Fire Outlook, above-normal precipitation decreased drought indices and drought-affected areas.
As of July 7, the most recently posted update, Mexico has recorded 7054 fires, burning over 942,243 hectares (2.3 million acres). Fire activity is fueled by dry conditions and high temperatures, which are exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon.
Previously, on March 27, four people were reported dead following a wave of wildfires, burning more than 32,000 acres. More than 6,000 forest firefighters were deployed. However, a shortage of firefighters in some areas caused locals to fight the fire themselves, and they were met with fire-friendly conditions such as strong winds.
There are several areas of ongoing support that are needed in the recovery phase from a fire. These include rebuilding homes or repairing damage, soil remediation, temporary housing, physical and mental health, assistance for survivors in navigating disaster recovery resources, community and economic development, agricultural support and livelihood/income support.
Support local agencies
People in marginalized and at-risk situations before a disaster – older adults, undocumented and mixed-status families, people living with physical or mental health challenges, and people living in poverty – may find their circumstances worsened in the face of disaster and continue to face challenges during the recovery phase.
Local organizations are better informed about needs and culture than outside entities, they may be more familiar with impacted individuals and they will be on the ground for years.
Read about the impact of funding local agencies to provide bilingual and culturally appropriate mental health services to fire survivors in California’s Sonoma County here.
Address mental health needs
Mental health is always a significant issue following fires, especially fires that cause loss of life. Funders can support organizations, particularly those on the ground long-term, to provide mental health services to their communities for years to come. This should be broader than traditional therapists, as some ethnic or religious communities need culturally competent and supportive services.
Communities in wildfire-prone geographies often experience the impact of chronic, cyclical disasters: survivors, responders and community leaders are “pushed through exhausting, recurring phases of anticipation, impact and adaptation before a final recovery phase can begin.” CDP grantee partner Vibrant Community Health has developed a Model for Adaptive Response to Complex, Cyclical Disasters.
Support the Latino Community
Wildfires have a disproportionate impact on the Latino community. Racialized and other marginalized communities recover slower after a disaster than other communities. Relative to the U.S. population at large, Latinos are two times more likely to live in wildfire-prone areas.
At least 71% of the agricultural workforce and 40% of the hospitality and tourism industries in California are comprised of Latinos which has a significant impact on recovery. Workers may get displaced by fire and lose both homes and jobs. In the tourism and hospitality industries, wealthier homeowners and tourists can access services unavailable to those who support them. This particularly true when migrants fear reaching out for government services because of their immigration status.
According to the 2021-2022 National Agricultural Workers Survey:
- 75% of U.S. crop workers are Hispanic, including 1 in 4 of the 30% of crop workers that are U.S. born.
- Almost 80% of crop workers interviewed first came to the U.S. more than 10 years ago.
- The median income was 20,000to20,000 to 20,000to24,999.
- About 57% of crop workers had less than a 9th grade education, including 4% who had no formal schooling.
- Most (56%) of crop workers live in private rental housing, with 10% of crop workers living in employer-owned housing.
CDP has specific funds for wildfire needs in California and Hawaii. In addition, our Disaster Recovery Fund supports wildfire-affected areas in the remainder of the United States and in Canada, and has a drop-down for the fires in New Mexico. Our Global Recovery Fund supports Mexico and other countries.
Contact CDP
Philanthropic and government support
Through funding from Google and the CDP Disaster Recovery Fund:
- Flower Hill Institute was awarded $60,000 in flexible funding to support local Indigenous and Tribal communities’ stewardship, protection and rewilding of culturally significant lands, and enable access to resources for recovery from wildfires in New Mexico following the April 2022 wildfires.
- Statewide nonprofit news source Texas Tribune received $30,000 to provide in-depth coverage of wildfire recovery and investigative reporting on the issues that exacerbated 2024’s Smokehouse Creek Fire’s impacts on the Texas Panhandle.
From the Hawaii Wildfires Recovery Fund:
- CDP awarded Lahaina Community Land Trust $644,000 to hire staff in support of their mission to “keep Lahaina lands in Lahaina hands.” Community land trusts are a time-tested and promising way of securing housing affordability, cultural preservation and economic development in communities that are vulnerable to gentrification and displacement by what some experts term “disaster capitalism.”
- CDP provided a grant of $250,000 to Honolulu Civil Beat to support the presence of a local, dedicated journalism team in Maui focused on providing accurate and free community information, informed debate, leadership accountability and encouraging action.
- CDP issued a $250,000 grant to Kelea Foundation to ensure equitable recovery from Maui’s wildfires for older adults, persons with disabilities and access and functional needs, and persons with complex medical cases through advocacy, case management, transportation services, adaptive recreation opportunities, and an adaptive and medical equipment supply closet.
From the California Wildfires Recovery Fund:
- CDP awarded a $200,000 grant to Northern Valley Catholic Social Service Inc. (NVCSS) to increase wildfire resilience levels while reducing associated risks among vulnerable populations within the NVCSS service region.
- CDP provided a $99,734 grant to Coraz ó n Healdsburg to provide wildfire disaster preparedness and prevention training for clients. By providing emergency disaster kits and support for renters insurance as well, clients will be better able to face future wildfires and be more resilient.
More ways to help
- Give monetary donations. As with most disasters, experts recommend cash donations, over materials, unless specifically requested. This allows on-the-ground agencies to direct funds to the most significant area of need, support economic recovery and ensure donation management does not detract from disaster recovery needs.
- Ask the experts. The Center for Disaster Philanthropy and National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters can provide resources and guidance about organizations working in affected communities within the United States. InterAction can provide information about organizations providing support outside of the U.S. Local community foundations also have insights into nongovernmental organizations that are best suited to respond in a particular community. CDP’s partner, the Council on Foundations summarized resources available to guide philanthropy following the wildfires in Hawaii, including resources from CDP.
Wildfires
Weather can significantly affect the frequency and severity of wildfires. Prolonged drought can extend prime wildfire season, making blazes more likely. Additionally, high temperatures and low humidity can quickly dry out vegetation which then becomes potential fuel.
Drought
Drought is often defined as an unusual period of drier than normal weather that leads to a water shortage. Drought causes more deaths and displaces more people than any other disaster.
Extreme Heat
While the average temperature continues to increase at a moderate pace, climate change has caused more frequent extreme weather events, particularly extreme heat.