77,850
wildfires reported nationwide in 2025
The National Interagency Fire Center records this as the highest annual fire count since 2010.
National Interagency Fire Center, 2025 annual statistics ↗Wildland fire statistics: 2026 reference sheet
A citable collection of U.S. wildfire figures for reporters, researchers, agencies, and field-communications teams. Last updated October 30, 2026.
What these figures cover
THE SCALE BEHIND INCIDENT READINESS.
Wildland fire operations change quickly, but communications planning cannot. These figures put recent nationwide fire activity and structure loss in one place, using the National Interagency Fire Center’s published year-end data. Each number links directly to its original source.
5,131,474
acres burned by U.S. wildfires in 2025
That total was lower than 2024, but it still represents a national incident load measured in millions of acres.
National Interagency Fire Center, 2025 annual statistics ↗+20%
increase in reported fires from 2024 to 2025
This is a BK Fire Radios calculation from NIFC’s reported totals of 64,897 fires in 2024 and 77,850 in 2025.
National Interagency Fire Center, 2024 and 2025 annual statistics ↗18,385
structures reported destroyed by wildfires in 2025
The national total includes 12,773 residential properties, 5,116 minor structures, and 496 commercial structures.
National Interagency Coordination Center, 2025 annual report ↗16,324
structures destroyed in Southern California during 2025
The 2025 annual report identifies Southern California as the geographic area with the highest reported structure loss.
National Interagency Coordination Center, 2025 annual report ↗10,122,336
acres burned in 2020
This was one of three years since 2015 in which the national annual total topped 10 million acres.
National Interagency Fire Center, annual statistics ↗Operational context
COMMUNICATION IS PART OF THE LCES FOUNDATION.
The National Wildfire Coordinating Group identifies communications as one of the four LCES elements: Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes, and Safety Zones. The figures above do not prescribe equipment, channels, or incident procedures. They provide context for why crews, agencies, and incident teams need a communications plan suited to the assignment.
Read NWCG’s communications guidance ↗HOW TO USE THIS REFERENCE.
BK Fire Radios compiled the figures on this page from the National Interagency Fire Center and its National Interagency Coordination Center. The annual figures are U.S. totals for the calendar years shown. The +20% fire-count figure is calculated from the two NIFC annual totals identified in its source note.
- National Interagency Fire Center, Wildfires and Acres, 1983–2025 ↗
- National Interagency Coordination Center, 2025 Wildland Fire Summary and Statistics Annual Report ↗
- National Wildfire Coordinating Group, Communications within LCES ↗
Cite this page
BK Fire Radios. “Wildland Fire Statistics: 2026 Reference Sheet.” Updated October 30, 2026. https://bkfireradios.com/resources/wildland-fire-statistics
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