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Comparing Lightning-Caused and Human-Caused U.S. Wildfires

Published

11 months ago

October 18, 2022

Gilbert Fontana

Featured Creator

Article/Editing:

Carmen Ang

comparing acres burned by human-caused fires versus lightning in the U.S.

Comparing Lightning-Caused and Human-Caused U.S. Wildfires

Each year, thousands of acres of land are scorched by wildfires across the United States. While most of these fires are triggered by natural causes such as lightning, some are unfortunately caused by human activity.

This graphic by Gilbert Fontana uses data from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) to show the number of acres burned across the U.S. between 2001 and 2021.

Year	Acres burned (lightning-caused fires)	Acres burned (human-caused fires)
2021	4,101,884	3,023,759
2020	4,123,523	5,998,813
2019	3,447,038	1,217,324
2018	3,127,003	5,640,489
2017	5,195,610	4,830,476
2016	1,743,385	3,766,610
2015	8,112,688	2,012,461
2014	2,012,843	1,582,770
2013	3,057,566	1,261,980
2012	6,825,989	2,500,249
2011	3,354,596	5,356,771
2010	2,119,275	1,303,449
2009	3,849,040	2,072,746
2008	1,862,477	3,429,991
2007	5,878,691	3,449,360
2006	5,468,901	4,404,844
2005	7,168,062	1,521,327
2004	7,011,023	964,800
2003	2,038,443	1,922,249
2002	4,097,593	3,077,119
2001	1,822,600	1,748,661

Historically, we can see that lightning-caused fires have led to more damage in the U.S., and this is especially true in the West region which includes states like California, Oregon, and Washington.

That said, it’s worth noting that in three out of the six years from 2016–2021, human-caused wildfires led to more damage.

If you’re interested in learning more about wildfires, check out this article about The Relationship Between Climate Change and Wildfires

This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.

Related Topics:camping campfire America cigarette US cigarettes wildfires fires air quality climate lightning human-caused wildfires matches

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Tracking Antarctica Sea Ice Loss in 2023

Antarctica’s ice extent has reached record lows. This visual details and maps Antarctica sea ice loss over the last two years.

Published

1 month ago

August 25, 2023

Mark Belan

Antarctica sea ice loss tracked from 1979 to 2023

Tracking Antarctica Sea Ice Loss in 2023

Scientists have been tracking the extent and concentrations of Antarctica’s sea ice for decades, and the last two years have raised global alarm bells.

As temperatures are breaking records around the world, the southernmost continent’s ice sheet is visibly smaller than it has been in decades past.

The above graphic uses tracking data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) to visualize sea ice extent in Antarctica as of August 2023

How Much Ice Has Antarctica Lost?

According to satellite data tracked by the NSIDC, sea ice extent in Antarctica has shrunk to record lows.

When compared to previously charted data dating back to 1979, daily record lows in sea ice extent have been recorded for every day in 2023 so far.

Here is how daily Antarctic sea ice extent in 2023 compares to 2022 (which had many of the previous record lows), and the median from 1981 to 2010.

Date	2023 (km²)	2022 (km²)	Median (1981‒2010, km²)
Aug 24	15.87M	17.29M	17.94M
Aug 23	15.79M	17.24M	17.91M
Aug 22	15.74M	17.21M	17.89M
Aug 21	15.69M	17.19M	17.87M
Aug 20	15.64M	17.14M	17.84M
Aug 19	15.55M	17.11M	17.82M
Aug 18	15.45M	17.06M	17.79M
Aug 17	15.34M	16.99M	17.73M
Aug 16	15.22M	16.93M	17.68M
Aug 15	15.12M	16.88M	17.63M
Aug 14	15.07M	16.84M	17.60M
Aug 13	15.04M	16.81M	17.56M
Aug 12	15.02M	16.78M	17.54M
Aug 11	15.00M	16.76M	17.50M
Aug 10	14.98M	16.75M	17.45M
Aug 09	14.96M	16.73M	17.39M
Aug 08	14.95M	16.70M	17.34M
Aug 07	14.92M	16.64M	17.27M
Aug 06	14.88M	16.57M	17.21M
Aug 05	14.86M	16.46M	17.15M
Aug 04	14.82M	16.35M	17.10M
Aug 03	14.78M	16.22M	17.05M
Aug 02	14.75M	16.11M	17.01M
Aug 01	14.69M	15.99M	16.96M
Jul 31	14.62M	15.87M	16.92M
Jul 30	14.55M	15.76M	16.86M
Jul 29	14.47M	15.68M	16.79M
Jul 28	14.38M	15.62M	16.71M
Jul 27	14.29M	15.59M	16.63M
Jul 26	14.21M	15.57M	16.56M
Jul 25	14.16M	15.56M	16.49M
Jul 24	14.10M	15.53M	16.41M
Jul 23	14.03M	15.50M	16.33M
Jul 22	13.97M	15.43M	16.24M
Jul 21	13.91M	15.35M	16.16M
Jul 20	13.82M	15.25M	16.08M
Jul 19	13.70M	15.14M	16.00M
Jul 18	13.58M	15.03M	15.94M
Jul 17	13.45M	14.93M	15.88M
Jul 16	13.31M	14.84M	15.80M
Jul 15	13.17M	14.78M	15.71M
Jul 14	13.07M	14.72M	15.62M
Jul 13	12.98M	14.64M	15.54M
Jul 12	12.88M	14.57M	15.46M
Jul 11	12.77M	14.47M	15.39M
Jul 10	12.65M	14.37M	15.32M
Jul 09	12.54M	14.28M	15.25M
Jul 08	12.43M	14.19M	15.19M
Jul 07	12.36M	14.12M	15.12M
Jul 06	12.32M	14.06M	15.05M
Jul 05	12.31M	13.98M	14.98M
Jul 04	12.28M	13.89M	14.91M
Jul 03	12.22M	13.79M	14.82M
Jul 02	12.14M	13.68M	14.73M
Jul 01	12.06M	13.58M	14.64M
Jun 30	11.96M	13.46M	14.54M
Jun 29	11.87M	13.33M	14.45M
Jun 28	11.81M	13.19M	14.36M
Jun 27	11.75M	13.06M	14.26M
Jun 26	11.68M	12.92M	14.17M
Jun 25	11.61M	12.81M	14.07M
Jun 24	11.53M	12.73M	13.98M
Jun 23	11.46M	12.67M	13.88M
Jun 22	11.39M	12.61M	13.79M
Jun 21	11.31M	12.56M	13.69M
Jun 20	11.21M	12.50M	13.59M
Jun 19	11.10M	12.41M	13.48M
Jun 18	11.02M	12.32M	13.37M
Jun 17	10.92M	12.22M	13.26M
Jun 16	10.84M	12.11M	13.17M
Jun 15	10.78M	12.02M	13.08M
Jun 14	10.73M	11.92M	12.98M
Jun 13	10.66M	11.81M	12.89M
Jun 12	10.61M	11.72M	12.81M
Jun 11	10.54M	11.62M	12.72M
Jun 10	10.46M	11.53M	12.61M
Jun 09	10.39M	11.45M	12.48M
Jun 08	10.33M	11.36M	12.36M
Jun 07	10.26M	11.26M	12.25M
Jun 06	10.18M	11.15M	12.13M
Jun 05	10.09M	11.00M	12.02M
Jun 04	9.99M	10.87M	11.93M
Jun 03	9.87M	10.74M	11.84M
Jun 02	9.75M	10.64M	11.74M
Jun 01	9.64M	10.58M	11.65M
May 31	9.53M	10.54M	11.56M
May 30	9.43M	10.49M	11.47M
May 29	9.36M	10.43M	11.37M
May 28	9.30M	10.35M	11.27M
May 27	9.23M	10.27M	11.17M
May 26	9.16M	10.20M	11.08M
May 25	9.09M	10.14M	10.99M
May 24	8.98M	10.07M	10.89M
May 23	8.86M	10.01M	10.79M
May 22	8.73M	9.94M	10.68M
May 21	8.61M	9.85M	10.57M
May 20	8.52M	9.76M	10.45M
May 19	8.43M	9.66M	10.33M
May 18	8.36M	9.56M	10.24M
May 17	8.30M	9.46M	10.14M
May 16	8.25M	9.34M	10.03M
May 15	8.16M	9.20M	9.92M
May 14	8.06M	9.09M	9.82M
May 13	7.96M	8.99M	9.69M
May 12	7.85M	8.88M	9.58M
May 11	7.72M	8.77M	9.46M
May 10	7.61M	8.67M	9.35M
May 09	7.50M	8.55M	9.23M
May 08	7.39M	8.40M	9.12M
May 07	7.28M	8.26M	9.00M
May 06	7.17M	8.13M	8.88M
May 05	7.06M	8.02M	8.77M
May 04	6.96M	7.91M	8.65M
May 03	6.86M	7.80M	8.52M
May 02	6.77M	7.69M	8.41M
May 01	6.66M	7.59M	8.29M
Apr 30	6.56M	7.48M	8.17M
Apr 29	6.48M	7.35M	8.06M
Apr 28	6.38M	7.24M	7.95M
Apr 27	6.28M	7.12M	7.83M
Apr 26	6.19M	7.00M	7.71M
Apr 25	6.09M	6.86M	7.59M
Apr 24	5.98M	6.74M	7.48M
Apr 23	5.89M	6.62M	7.37M
Apr 22	5.80M	6.50M	7.27M
Apr 21	5.71M	6.39M	7.18M
Apr 20	5.64M	6.27M	7.09M
Apr 19	5.59M	6.15M	6.99M
Apr 18	5.52M	6.00M	6.88M
Apr 17	5.45M	5.86M	6.78M
Apr 16	5.38M	5.73M	6.66M
Apr 15	5.30M	5.59M	6.55M
Apr 14	5.19M	5.46M	6.43M
Apr 13	5.10M	5.33M	6.31M
Apr 12	5.02M	5.20M	6.18M
Apr 11	4.94M	5.09M	6.06M
Apr 10	4.86M	4.97M	5.93M
Apr 09	4.79M	4.86M	5.81M
Apr 08	4.71M	4.77M	5.71M
Apr 07	4.63M	4.68M	5.62M
Apr 06	4.54M	4.61M	5.53M
Apr 05	4.46M	4.52M	5.44M
Apr 04	4.37M	4.42M	5.35M
Apr 03	4.26M	4.31M	5.27M
Apr 02	4.16M	4.20M	5.18M
Apr 01	4.04M	4.06M	5.11M
Mar 31	3.93M	3.93M	5.04M
Mar 30	3.86M	3.81M	4.97M
Mar 29	3.77M	3.68M	4.89M
Mar 28	3.68M	3.54M	4.81M
Mar 27	3.57M	3.40M	4.72M
Mar 26	3.44M	3.28M	4.63M
Mar 25	3.28M	3.20M	4.54M
Mar 24	3.14M	3.12M	4.46M
Mar 23	3.02M	3.06M	4.37M
Mar 22	2.92M	3.01M	4.28M
Mar 21	2.84M	2.95M	4.20M
Mar 20	2.78M	2.88M	4.12M
Mar 19	2.72M	2.81M	4.03M
Mar 18	2.66M	2.74M	3.95M
Mar 17	2.61M	2.68M	3.88M
Mar 16	2.55M	2.62M	3.80M
Mar 15	2.49M	2.57M	3.73M
Mar 14	2.44M	2.52M	3.65M
Mar 13	2.40M	2.48M	3.59M
Mar 12	2.34M	2.43M	3.51M
Mar 11	2.27M	2.39M	3.44M
Mar 10	2.21M	2.34M	3.37M
Mar 09	2.13M	2.29M	3.31M
Mar 08	2.04M	2.24M	3.25M
Mar 07	1.97M	2.19M	3.20M
Mar 06	1.93M	2.15M	3.16M
Mar 05	1.91M	2.11M	3.12M
Mar 04	1.89M	2.07M	3.07M
Mar 03	1.88M	2.03M	3.02M
Mar 02	1.87M	2.01M	2.98M
Mar 01	1.85M	1.99M	2.94M
Feb 28	1.83M	1.98M	2.89M
Feb 27	1.83M	1.98M	2.86M
Feb 26	1.82M	1.98M	2.83M
Feb 25	1.82M	1.98M	2.81M
Feb 24	1.81M	1.98M	2.81M
Feb 23	1.80M	1.99M	2.81M
Feb 22	1.79M	1.99M	2.81M
Feb 21	1.79M	2.02M	2.81M
Feb 20	1.81M	2.03M	2.82M
Feb 19	1.82M	2.05M	2.82M
Feb 18	1.85M	2.08M	2.84M
Feb 17	1.86M	2.11M	2.86M
Feb 16	1.88M	2.14M	2.89M
Feb 15	1.88M	2.18M	2.93M
Feb 14	1.89M	2.22M	2.97M
Feb 13	1.91M	2.24M	3.02M
Feb 12	1.93M	2.26M	3.06M
Feb 11	1.96M	2.31M	3.10M
Feb 10	1.98M	2.35M	3.15M
Feb 09	2.01M	2.41M	3.20M
Feb 08	2.03M	2.47M	3.25M
Feb 07	2.06M	2.54M	3.30M
Feb 06	2.09M	2.60M	3.36M
Feb 05	2.12M	2.66M	3.41M
Feb 04	2.16M	2.71M	3.47M
Feb 03	2.19M	2.77M	3.52M
Feb 02	2.23M	2.82M	3.57M
Feb 01	2.26M	2.86M	3.63M
Jan 31	2.30M	2.89M	3.68M
Jan 30	2.35M	2.94M	3.73M
Jan 29	2.42M	2.99M	3.78M
Jan 28	2.48M	3.04M	3.84M
Jan 27	2.56M	3.11M	3.89M
Jan 26	2.65M	3.19M	3.96M
Jan 25	2.71M	3.26M	4.04M
Jan 24	2.78M	3.34M	4.12M
Jan 23	2.85M	3.41M	4.18M
Jan 22	2.90M	3.48M	4.26M
Jan 21	2.96M	3.57M	4.34M
Jan 20	3.02M	3.66M	4.42M
Jan 19	3.09M	3.75M	4.51M
Jan 18	3.17M	3.87M	4.62M
Jan 17	3.24M	3.96M	4.73M
Jan 16	3.32M	4.05M	4.87M
Jan 15	3.39M	4.13M	5.01M
Jan 14	3.45M	4.20M	5.14M
Jan 13	3.51M	4.27M	5.27M
Jan 12	3.59M	4.38M	5.41M
Jan 11	3.67M	4.49M	5.54M
Jan 10	3.76M	4.59M	5.69M
Jan 09	3.86M	4.70M	5.85M
Jan 08	3.97M	4.83M	6.02M
Jan 07	4.09M	4.95M	6.18M
Jan 06	4.22M	5.09M	6.34M
Jan 05	4.35M	5.27M	6.51M
Jan 04	4.49M	5.45M	6.67M
Jan 03	4.64M	5.62M	6.84M
Jan 02	4.79M	5.82M	7.01M
Jan 01	5.00M	6.02M	7.19M

Antarctica’s sea ice extent on August 24, 2023 was 1.42 million square kilometers smaller than the year before. When compared to the median extent for that date from 1980 to 2010, it was 2.07 million square kilometers smaller.

Keep in mind that July and August are the coldest months in Antarctica. Its position on the South Pole gives it a very long winter ranging from the end of February to the end of September, with ice building up before melting temperatures arrive in October.

Antarctica Sea Ice and the Rest of the World

Even though the continent is thousands of kilometers from most of Earth’s land and populace, its ice has an important impact on the rest of the planet.

Antarctica’s large ice sheet is able to reflect a lot of sunlight in sunnier months, reducing the amount absorbed by the ocean. The wider its extent builds up over the winter, the more sunlight and heat it is able to reflect.

It’s also important to consider that this ice comes from a regular pattern of freezing and melting ocean water. The more ice is lost to the oceans compared to what accumulates in a given year, the higher sea levels rise around the world.