Description

A record-breaking U.S. wildfire season burned more than 10.2 million acres. California more than doubled its previous annual record for area burned (last set in 2018) with over 4.1 million acres. Five of the top six largest wildfires on record in California (dating to 1932) burned during August and September. The August Complex was the largest California wildfire, which began as 37 separate wildfires within the Mendocino National Forest, set off after storms caused >10,000 lightning strikes across Northern California. Approximately 10,500 structures were damaged or destroyed across California. Oregon also had historic levels of wildfire damage, as over 2,000 structures burned. These wildfires spread rapidly and destroyed several small towns in California, Oregon and Washington. Colorado also had a severe wildfire season, as its three largest wildfires on record burned during 2020. Dense wildfire smoke also produced hazardous air quality that affected millions of people that also included major cities for weeks. Hundreds of additional wildfires also burned across other Western states.