Wildfire Season Ravages the US in 2024: Over 3.4 Million Acres Burned YTD
July 21, 2024 – As of this morning, 63 large active wildfires are being managed and have burned 1,083,684 acres. Fire managers are using full suppression strategies on 57 of these wildfires. Many wildfires in the Northwest area continue to have active to extreme fire behavior. The Durkee Fire burned nearly 60,000 acres yesterday, and the Lone Rock Fire gained over 16,000 acres.
CURRENT NATIONAL STATISTICS
Impact and Response
Human Impact: Thousands of residents were evacuated, and numerous homes and structures were destroyed or damaged.
Environmental Impact: Significant loss of wildlife habitat, forest cover, and increased carbon emissions.
Air Quality: Smoke from wildfires severely affected air quality across multiple states, leading to health advisories and widespread use of air quality alerts.
Firefighting Efforts: Over 20,000 firefighters and support personnel were deployed, including international assistance from Canada and Australia.
