Tree cover loss from wildfires in United States
United States: Tree cover loss from wildfires was 530,978 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Tree cover loss from wildfires in United States, 2001–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for tree cover loss from wildfires in United States is 530,978, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 75.9% on the previous year and up 100.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tree cover loss from wildfires in United States peaked at 978,022 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 263,583, in 2011.
United States ranks 5th of 152 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Tree cover loss from wildfires in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 338,192 | — |
| 2002 | 581,185 | +71.9% |
| 2003 | 409,390 | -29.6% |
| 2004 | 917,220 | +124.0% |
| 2005 | 896,538 | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 851,499 | -5.0% |
| 2007 | 620,719 | -27.1% |
| 2008 | 478,858 | -22.9% |
| 2009 | 283,621 | -40.8% |
| 2010 | 607,837 | +114.3% |
| 2011 | 263,583 | -56.6% |
| 2012 | 362,002 | +37.3% |
| 2013 | 399,300 | +10.3% |
| 2014 | 265,170 | -33.6% |
| 2015 | 939,205 | +254.2% |
| 2016 | 634,659 | -32.4% |
| 2017 | 570,822 | -10.1% |
| 2018 | 565,444 | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 662,813 | +17.2% |
| 2020 | 687,668 | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 862,273 | +25.4% |
| 2022 | 978,022 | +13.4% |
| 2023 | 301,855 | -69.1% |
| 2024 | 530,978 | +75.9% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 530,978 is above the median for high income countries, which is 152.21, 3488.5× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Tree cover loss from wildfires in United States changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | +254.2% | 265,170 | 939,205 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 597,469 | 283,621 | 917,220 | 9 |
| 2010s | 527,084 | 263,583 | 939,205 | 10 |
| 2020s | 672,159 | 301,855 | 978,022 | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
More reference data data for United States
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 19.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 20.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 64.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 52.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 133.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 589.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 112.69 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tree cover loss from wildfires in United States?
- Tree cover loss from wildfires in United States was 530,978 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest tree cover loss from wildfires recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 978,022 in 2022.
- What is the lowest tree cover loss from wildfires recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 263,583 in 2011.
- How does United States rank for tree cover loss from wildfires?
- United States ranks 5th out of 152 countries with data for 2024.
- Is tree cover loss from wildfires rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 100.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Tree cover loss from wildfires. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).