Average area burnt per wildfire in United States
United States: Average area burnt per wildfire was 446.98 hectares in 2026. ▲ Rising
Average area burnt per wildfire in United States, 2012–2026
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2026, average area burnt per wildfire in United States stood at 446.98 hectares.
The figure is up 23.0% on the previous year and up 30.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average area burnt per wildfire in United States peaked at 478.33 hectares in 2020 and was at its lowest, 323.77 hectares, in 2023.
United States ranks 14th of 181 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 372.74 hectares | 325.28 hectares | 431.16 hectares | 8 |
| 2020s | 406.92 hectares | 323.77 hectares | 478.33 hectares | 7 |
Countries ranked near United States
More reference data data for United States
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- Summer temperature anomalies 0.5014 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.0594 °C (2026)
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- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.8696 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.9189 °C (2025)
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- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average area burnt per wildfire in United States?
- Average area burnt per wildfire in United States was 446.98 hectares in 2026, according to Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average area burnt per wildfire recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 478.33 hectares in 2020.
- What is the lowest average area burnt per wildfire recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 323.77 hectares in 2023.
- How does United States rank for average area burnt per wildfire?
- United States ranks 14th out of 181 countries with data for 2026.
- Is average area burnt per wildfire rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average area burnt per wildfire. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The average area burnt per wildfire, in hectares. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 07 August 2026.