America Is on Fire: The 2026 Wildfire Season Is Unlike Any Before

Wildfire Crisis 2026 Millions of acres burned. Toxic air stretching from California to New York. Communities destroyed. Climate change is making it worse every year.

8.9M Acres Burned in the US in 2020 2026 is on pace to surpass it — fueled by extreme heat, drought, and decades of fire suppression leaving forests overgrown

Wildfire Smoke Is the No. 1 Air Pollution Threat in the West

Air Quality Emergency Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfires causes heart attacks, strokes, and lung disease. In 2026, smoke plumes have put millions of Americans under "unhealthy" air quality alerts for weeks.

The Climate Connection Scientists confirm: rising temperatures dry out vegetation, extend fire seasons by up to 78 days, and create the conditions for megafires. The hottest years on record have all occurred since 2015 — and 2026 is on track to be the hottest yet.

$150B+ Annual Economic Cost of US Wildfires Including property loss, healthcare costs, firefighting, and lost productivity — and that number is rising every fire season

Prescribed Burns, Firebreaks & Forest Management Can Help

Policy Shift Needed Experts say controlled burns and thinning overgrown forests could reduce catastrophic wildfire risk by up to 30%. Congress has appropriated funds — but implementation is slow and controversial.

Protect Yourself & Your Community Create a defensible space around your home. Have an evacuation plan. Check AQI daily during fire season. And demand bold climate action — because prevention is cheaper than disaster response. Explore Climate Action