LendingTree: Wildfires Increasing in U.S.

(Image courtesy of Francesco Paggiaro/pexels.com)

LendingTree, Charlotte, N.C., published an analysis finding that wildfire activity has surged nationally over the past five years.

Wildfires rose 28.8% nationwide between 2019-2024, increasing from 50,380 to 64,897.

The state that saw the largest increase between 2019-2024 was not a common wildfire spot: In Massachusetts, they increased 349.5% from 289 to 1,299. Oklahoma (up 175.5%) and Pennsylvania (up 164.7%) also saw significant bumps. Further, Iowa, Ohio and Virginia saw wildfires increase by more than 100%.  

Five states saw a decrease in wildfires between 2019-2024, with Alaska falling 47.6%, Texas falling 27.9%, Georgia falling 21.1%, New Mexico falling 4.2% and Oregon falling 2.7%.

A common location–California–had the largest share of U.S. wildfires in 2024, at 8,316, or 12.8% of the national total. Texas had 4,967 or 7.7% and North Carolina had 4,668, or 7.2%.

California reported 1.1 million acres burned in 2024, but that’s fewer than Oregon and Texas, at 1.8 million acres and 1.3 million acres respectively.

Nationwide, 60.8 million buildings–or 41.5% of all buildings–are directly exposed to wildfires.

Texas has the highest estimated number of buildings directly exposed to wildfires, at 4.4 million. That’s followed by 3.7 million in North Carolina and 3 million in Georgia.

Nationwide, homeowners are concerned about the risk. Nearly four in 10 insured homeowners said they’re at least very concerned that wildfire risk could affect their home insurance costs or coverage in the next few years. And, while 65% of insured homeowners are at least somewhat confident their policy would cover wildfire damage, 21% aren’t very or at all confident and 13% aren’t sure what their policy would cover.