The Fossil Fuels behind Forest Fires in California

The document argues that major carbon producers are responsible for a significant portion of the increasing wildfire risk in western North America. It attributes 48% of the rise in fire-danger conditions since 1901 and 37% of the cumulative burned forest area since 1986 to emissions from 88 major fossil fuel and cement companies. In California, wildfires between 2017 and 2021 caused over $21 billion in economic damages and released an average of 53 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent annually. The report calls for corporate accountability, legal access to justice, and state-level policies to reduce emissions, improve forest health, and protect vulnerable communities.

• Emissions from the 88 largest fossil fuel companies and cement manufacturers are responsible for 48% of the increase in fire-danger conditions (measured by vapor pressure deficit) in western North America since 1901.
• Since 1986, 37% of the cumulative burned forest area in western North America—approximately 19.8 million of the 53.0 million total acres burned—is attributable to emissions from the 88 largest carbon producers.
• Between 2017 and 2021, California experienced over 45,000 wildfires that destroyed more than 51,000 homes and businesses, claimed 186 lives, and burned over 9.5 million acres.
• The economic impact of wildfires in California from 2017 to 2021 included over $21 billion in economic damages and more than $4 billion in emergency fire suppression costs.
• Wildfires in California released an annual average of 53 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent between 2017 and 2021, with emissions in 2020 reaching 106.7 million metric tons.
• Wildfires have severe public health and infrastructure consequences in California, including up to 3,000 indirect deaths linked to smoke exposure in 2020 and significant costs for dredging reservoirs impacted by sediment, such as a planned $190 million expenditure by Los Angeles County Public Works for reservoirs affected by the 2009 Station fire.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2023). The Fossil Fuels behind Forest Fires in California. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2023-05/fossil-fuels-behind-forest-fires-CA.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. The Fossil Fuels behind Forest Fires in California. 2023. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2023-05/fossil-fuels-behind-forest-fires-CA.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=The Fossil Fuels behind Forest Fires in California |date=May 2023 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2023-05/fossil-fuels-behind-forest-fires-CA.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2023fossil, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{The Fossil Fuels behind Forest Fires in California}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2023}, month = may, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2023-05/fossil-fuels-behind-forest-fires-CA.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }