Image by Getty Images; Illustration by Austin Courregé/Bankrate
Key takeaways
- A wildfire is an uncontrolled, unpredictable and unplanned burn in an area of naturally ignitable vegetation. While prairies, forests and grasslands are standard wildfire zones, suburban areas backing up to wildlife are frequently impacted.
- Unless otherwise excluded, a typical homeowners policy covers damage from a fire to your dwelling, other structures and personal property. A renters insurance policy will cover damage to your personal property. The amount and type of insurance payout depends on your provider and policy selection.
- Homes in regions with a high risk from wildfires might not qualify for a standard homeowners insurance policy.
Globally, forest fires are now responsible for 15 million more acres of tree cover loss annually compared to the beginning of the 21st century. The United States is no exception to this trend, with 2015 and 2020 standing out as peak years for acreage burned.
In 2024 alone, wildfires caused $1.8 billion in damage nationwide. Having the right homeowners insurance in place can be key to helping offset the cost of wildfire damage. Here, we examine the most recent statistics and data for U.S. wildfires, including how to file a claim if your home is impacted by smoke or fire.
Wildfire statistics for 2024
Bushfire, brushfire, forest fire, rural fire and wildland fire are different terms for wildfire. The region and characteristics of the fire determine the type. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), wildfires are an increasing concern not only due to the loss of property but also their impact on air quality, crops, resources, transportation and the health of animals and people. Most wildfires are caused by human activity, such as unattended campfires and discarded cigarettes, while some are caused by lava and lightning.
The latest data on wildfires in the U.S.
The worst wildfires in U.S. history
Triple-I rated the costliest wildland fires in the United States. Based on its data, the top five were all in California, each causing several billions of dollars in insured losses.
- Camp Fire, 2018: Total damage from what is currently the costliest U.S. wildfire of all time is estimated at $10 billion, or roughly $11.8 billion in 2022 (when accounting for inflation). The fire burned 18,804 structures and 153,335 acres of woodland.
- Tubbs Fire, 2017: The Tubbs Fire incurred $8.7 billion in estimated insured losses, or about $10.5 billion in 2022 value. This electrical fire caused 36,807 acres of woodland and 5,636 structures to burn.
- Woolsey Fire, 2018: The Woolsey Fire caused estimated losses of $4.2 billion, nearly $5 billion after accounting for inflation. 1,643 structures and 96,949 acres of woodland were destroyed.
- Oakland Fire (Tunnel), 1991: This wildfire in the early ’90s caused estimated losses of $1.7 billion, or $3.7 billion in 2022 value. 2,900 structures and 1,600 acres of woodland were damaged.
- Atlas Fire, 2017: The Atlas Fire cost about $3 billion in damage, or what would be $3.7 billion in 2022. The fire caused damage to 903 structures and burned 51,624 acres of woodland.
2025 Los Angeles Fires
In January 2025, a series of wildfires devastated Los Angeles, fueled by dry, hurricane-force Santa Ana winds. The largest of the two — the Palisades and Eaton fires — are still burning at the time of writing and have destroyed more than 16,000 structures. The total damage is still being calculated, but a preliminary estimate from AccuWeather put total economic losses north of $250 billion. Together, the Palisades and Eaton fires are forecast to be the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history.
Wildfires in recent years
The NIFC collects year-over-year data on U.S. wildfires, although recordkeeping did not begin until 1983.
Wildfire suppression
Fires need fuel, heat and oxygen to burn. Wildfire suppression involves managing, modifying, preventing or extinguishing a wildfire. Several strategies can be used to suppress wildfires, including creating control lines using prescribed burns or natural barriers like rocky slopes or large barren soil areas and removing the fire’s fuel source by using hand tools or heavy equipment to remove quick-burning vegetation. National Guard members may also be deployed to support efforts, providing air assistance for mapping the fire and dropping flame retardant and water, as well as offering assistance on the ground to firefighters and EMTs. The area’s landscape, plus fire and weather conditions, determine the method used.
The NIFC compiles data on annual suppression costs for U.S. wildfires. The five-year average cost to the Forest Service is over $2 billion, while the cost to Department of Insurance (DOI) agencies was more than $525 million. The total 10-year average is less, at around $1.9 billion, suggesting that the price of suppressing these fires is going up over time.
At nearly $4.4 billion, 2021 was the most expensive year for total fire suppression costs since recordkeeping began in 1985, when the total annual costs topped out at just under $240 million.
Annual wildfire suppression costs
| Year | Forest Service | DOI agencies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $2,700,000,000 | $466,300,000 | $3,166,300,000 |
| 2022 | $2,900,000,000 | $649,000,000 | $3,549,000,000 |
| 2021 | $3,741,000,000 | $648,000,000 | $4,389,000,000 |
| 2020 | $1,764,000,000 | $510,000,000 | $2,274,000,000 |
| 2019 | $1,150,000,000 | $440,000,000 | $1,590,000,000 |
| 2018 | $2,615,256,000 | $528,000,000 | $3,143,256,000 |
| 2017 | $2,410,165,000 | $508,000,000 | $2,918,165,000 |
| 2016 | $1,603,806,000 | $371,739,000 | $1,975,545,000 |
| 2015 | $1,713,000,000 | $417,543,000 | $2,130,543,000 |
Wildfire statistics by state
To best understand how wildfires affect different regions of the U.S., this NIFC table shows the number of wildfires by cause and type in 2023.
Riskiest states for wildfires
California is by far the most at-risk state for wildfires in the U.S., according to CoreLogic, with nearly four times the number of properties at risk in 2024 as the second-highest state (Colorado). Below are the top at-risk states based on the number of properties at extreme risk.
| Rank | State | Number of moderate or greater at-risk properties | Total value of at-risk properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | California | 1,258,748 | $769.4B |
| 2. | Colorado | 321,294 | $140.9B |
| 3. | Texas | 244,617 | $88.4B |
| 4. | Oregon | 129,567 | $45.3B |
| 5. | Arizona | 124,603 | $36.2B |
| 6. | Idaho | 104,782 | $34.9B |
| 7. | New Mexico | 120,093 | $34.7B |
| 8. | Utah | 67,023 | $32.3B |
| 9. | Montana | 88,102 | $31.3B |
| 10. | Washington | 59,563 | $20.9B |
| 11. | Nevada | 22,768 | $14.7B |
| 12. | South Dakota | 26,697 | $8.4B |
| 13. | Wyoming | 16,215 | $5.7B |
| 14. | Oklahoma | 1,624 | $4M |
California’s wildfire risk
Why are California wildfires so dangerous? In part, it has to do with where some homes are built. California has the most homes along urban wildland interfaces — where spans of dry vegetation border developed lands. When a wildfire sparks here, there’s a higher concentration of buildings in the path of the blaze, thus leading to greater insured losses.
Fire damage restoration
The average home insurance policy covers the structure of your home, as well as personal belongings and additional living expenses, should you be affected by a wildfire. Those with renters insurance, condo insurance and manufactured or mobile home insurance should check their policies to ensure adequate coverage in case of a wildfire.
However, if you live in a high-risk area, such as California, you could be denied coverage. In this case, the California FAIR Plan is one option that offers basic coverage for high-risk customers who typically cannot find standard home insurance. After a record year of wildfires in 2018, it was estimated that 350,000 California home and business owners could not purchase adequate property and casualty insurance because of the increased risk that providers were facing. Significant issues were created for homeowners with mortgages who were required to carry home insurance coverage as a condition of their loans.
Many home insurance policies cover damage from wildfires, as well as smoke damage. If your home or property is damaged by smoke, you can file a claim with your insurance company. Most carriers offer several ways to file a claim, including online, over the phone and through a mobile app. Once the claim is filed, an insurance adjuster will be assigned to your case and provide you with next steps. Be aware that the claims process can move slowly when there are numerous structures and vehicles affected. In the meantime, consider taking photos and videos of the damage and retain receipts for any out-of-pocket expenses that might be covered as part of your homeowners claim.
You may wish to call a remediation company that can start the process of repairing your home after smoke or fire damage while you wait for further guidance from your insurer. The remediation company can work with you to save damaged items as evidence to support your claim.
Frequently asked questions
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