Datastream
Chart: 30 Years of Wildfires in America
The Briefing
- An average of 70,000 wildfires blaze through the U.S. each year
- These fires destroy approximately 5.8 million acres of land on a yearly basis
- Over 43,000 fires have started across the U.S., burning 5 million acres of land as of Sept 3, 2021
30 Years of Wildfires in America
This summer, record-breaking droughts and relentless heat waves have fueled disastrous wildfires across the United States. It’s gotten so bad, the state of California has decided to shut down all national forests for two weeks to stop the spread.
But how disastrous has this year been compared to previous years? This graphic gives a historical look at the number of wildfires in America that have occurred each year since 1990, and the acres of forest land scorched during that period.
Total Wildland Fires and Acres from 1990 to 2020
In the U.S., an average of 70,000 wildfires burn through 5.8 million acres of land each year. But some years have been worse than others.
Year | # of Fires | # of Acres Burned |
---|---|---|
1990 | 66,481 | 4,621,621 |
1991 | 75,754 | 2,953,578 |
1992 | 87,394 | 2,069,929 |
1993 | 58,810 | 1,797,574 |
1994 | 79,107 | 4,073,579 |
1995 | 82,234 | 1,840,546 |
1996 | 96,363 | 6,065,998 |
1997 | 66,196 | 2,856,959 |
1998 | 81,043 | 1,329,704 |
1999 | 92,487 | 5,626,093 |
2000 | 92,250 | 7,393,493 |
2001 | 84,079 | 3,570,911 |
2002 | 73,457 | 7,184,712 |
2003 | 63,629 | 3,960,842 |
2004 | 65,461 | *8,097,880 |
2005 | 66,753 | 8,689,389 |
2006 | 96,385 | 9,873,745 |
2007 | 85,705 | 9,328,045 |
2008 | 78,979 | 5,292,468 |
2009 | 78,792 | 5,921,786 |
2010 | 71,971 | 3,422,724 |
2011 | 74,126 | 8,711,367 |
2012 | 67,774 | 9,326,238 |
2013 | 47,579 | 4,319,546 |
2014 | 63,312 | 3,595,613 |
2015 | 68,151 | 10,125,149 |
2016 | 67,743 | 5,509,995 |
2017 | 71,499 | 10,026,086 |
2018 | 58,083 | 8,767,492 |
2019 | 50,477 | 4,664,364 |
2020 | 58,950 | 10,122,336 |
2021* | 43,250 | 5,024,744 |
*note: 2021 figures as of September 3, 2021
One particularly bad year was 2006, which had over 96,000 fires and destroyed 9.9 million acres of land across the country. It was the year of the Esperanza Fire in California, which burned 40,000 acres and cost $9 million in damages.
2015 was also a devastating year, with over 10.1 million acres destroyed across the country–the worst year on record, in terms of acres burned.
Climate Change’s Role in Wildfires
Wildfires are only expected to worsen in the near future since warmer temperatures and drier climates allow the fires to grow quickly and intensely.
We’re already starting to see climate change impact the wildfire season. For instance, autumn is usually peak wildfire season for California, but this year, one of the largest fires on record started in mid-July, and is still burning as of the date of publication.
Editor’s note, September 20, 2021: In the post above, we said that California closed downed down all national parks for two weeks, starting August 31st. In fact, they closed down all national forests.
Where does this data come from?
Source: National Interagency Fire Center
Details: 2004 fires and acres do not include state lands for North Carolina.
Datastream
The 10 Longest Range EVs for 2023
This infographic lists 10 of the longest range EVs currently for sale in the U.S. in 2023. The Lucid Air takes first place at 516 miles.

The Briefing
- EV models with over 300 miles (480 km) of range are becoming more common in the United States
- The Lucid Air (Grand Touring trim) has the highest EPA range at 516 miles (830 km)
The 10 Longest Range EVs for 2023
Range anxiety is frequently cited as one of the biggest turnoffs of electric vehicles (EVs).
Even as recent as 2021, the average range of an EV was just 217 miles (349 km), falling significantly short from the average gas car’s range of 413 miles (665 km). Thankfully, as this infographic shows, EVs with over 300 miles of range are becoming more common.
Below are the top 10 EVs for 2023, ranked by their EPA combined driving range. For further context, we’ve also included price. These values are for the specific trim that achieves the stated range. In some cases, more expensive trims are available but have a lower range (e.g. Tesla Plaid).
Model | EPA Combined Driving Range | Price* |
---|---|---|
Lucid Air | 516 mi (830 km) | $138,000 |
Tesla Model S | 405 mi (652 km) | $84,990 |
Hyundai Ioniq 6 | 361 mi (581 km) | $45,500 |
Tesla Model 3 | 358 mi (576 km) | $55,990 |
Mercedes-Benz EQS | 350 mi (563 km) | $104,400 |
Tesla Model X | 348 mi (560 km) | $94,990 |
Tesla Model Y | 330 mi (531 km) | $52,990 |
GMC Hummer EV Pickup | 329 mi (529 km) | $110,295 |
Rivian R1T | 328 mi (528 km) | $74,800 |
BMW iX | 324 mi (521 km) | $87,100 |
*Most recent prices available as of April 2023
Note that the EV market is rapidly evolving, and the data in this table has a limited shelf life. For example, Rivian is releasing a battery option dubbed the “Max pack” which promises up to 400 miles, but is not yet EPA rated.
Where Does This Data Come From?
Source: Car and Driver (range), manufacturer websites (price)
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