Wildfire Risk to Homes, Roads, and Power Lines Across the U.S.

Climate Central analyzed data from 476 weather stations to track fire weather trends in the contiguous U.S. between 1973 and 2025. The analysis reveals a significant increase in fire weather days, particularly in the western U.S., where conditions are intensifying in spring and summer. While the eastern U.S. has seen smaller increases, some areas in the Southeast and Northeast are experiencing more frequent fire weather. The report highlights that climate change is driving these trends through warming temperatures and decreasing relative humidity, which prime landscapes for wildfires to ignite and spread.

• The western U.S. experiences significantly more fire weather than the eastern U.S., averaging 32 fire weather days annually compared to eight days in the east. Within the west, Nevada and New Mexico have the highest annual averages at 78 and 76 days respectively, while Oregon and Washington have the lowest at 12 days each.
• Fire weather frequency has increased strongly in the western U.S. since 1973, with some areas in Southern California, New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona seeing an increase of approximately two months of fire weather per year. Some locations in California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas now experience fire weather twice as often as they did in the early 1970s.
• Seasonal trends show the greatest increases in fire weather occurring during spring and summer in the western U.S., specifically in the Southwest. In the eastern U.S., the most significant increases are also happening during spring, with northern New Jersey and coastal New York seeing at least 10 additional days annually, and northern North Carolina seeing nearly two additional weeks.
• As of mid-April 2026, the total area burned by wildfires in the U.S. is approximately double the previous record for that time of year, driven by a historic snow drought in the western U.S. resulting from a record-warm winter and March heat wave.
• Climate change is increasing the frequency of fire weather by raising temperatures and lowering relative humidity, which dries out vegetation and soils. Wind further exacerbates the risk by supplying oxygen, increasing evaporation, and carrying embers.

APA

Climate Central (2026). Wildfire Risk to Homes, Roads, and Power Lines Across the U.S. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/more-us-fire-weather

Chicago

Climate Central. Wildfire Risk to Homes, Roads, and Power Lines Across the U.S. 2026. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/more-us-fire-weather.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Central |title=Wildfire Risk to Homes, Roads, and Power Lines Across the U.S. |date=6 May 2026 |url=https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/more-us-fire-weather |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatecentral2026wildfire, author = {{Climate Central}}, title = {{Wildfire Risk to Homes, Roads, and Power Lines Across the U.S.}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/more-us-fire-weather}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }