US Wildfires Destroy Record 1.5 Million Acres

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, wildfires so far this year have already doubled the annual rate of the last decade. And, it is only the end of March. 

There were 15,436 wildfires through March 27, burning 1,510,973 acres. The 10-year average for the same period is 9,195, burning 664,792 acres. The organization blamed the record-breaking heat that blanketed the western US for much of the activity. It said the weather has made much of the US unusually dry. “Dry and unusually hot weather expected through the remainder of March will cause these abundant fuels to become historically dry for this time of year, ” the organization stated. 

The dryness issue is part of the 1,200-year drought described in 2022 by the journal Nature Climate Change. Several of the largest reservoirs in the country hit record lows. The two biggest of these, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, provide water to millions of people and thousands of farms. Lake Mead’s Hoover Dam also provides electricity to much of the West. This year has started with a difficult problem. SF Gate reported, “The water level is dwindling in Lake Mead, America’s largest reservoir and a major supplier of drinking water to California, and soaring temperatures are driving toxic algae outbreaks in the water and prompting federal officials to close hiking trails.”

Two weeks ago, a number of cities in the West set temperature records, some 30 degrees above normal, with Phoenix a particularly notable example. It posted its earliest 100-degree day on March 18, and conditions were favorable for storms. The National Weather Service reported, “Any storms that do develop will be capable of producing gusty and erratic outflow winds and dry lightning, which could lead to new fire starts.”

The U.S. The Drought Monitor shows areas of exceptional drought in Colorado and Parts of Texas today. 

The U.S. The Geological Survey says wildfires cause $424 billion in damage per year, on average, and in recent years “increased risks to human health and safety.

Current circumstances show 2026 is racing toward a record year.