CITIZENS’ CORNER: 22+ Statistics and Facts You Need to Know About Wildfires
In the United States, wildfires are increasing, both in frequency and impact. According to Insurance Information Institute, these fires burned 10.1 million acres of forest in 2020. In the previous year, the figure was 4.7 million acres. The same source reports that in the initial six months of 2021, there was an increase of 20% in the number of wildfires recorded compared to the same period last year.
The fires referred to above do not only affect remote wilderness areas; they are increasingly causing damage in residential areas. This is a view supported by the numbers. In 2020, around 17,000 structures were destroyed by wildfires, and over half of these structures were residences.
READ The full Authoritative Perspective on Wildfire Causes and Mitigation by Mr Stout
