The Fossil Fuels behind Forest Fires in Oregon

The Union of Concerned Scientists analysis attributes 48 percent of the rise in fire-danger conditions in western North America since 1901 and 37 percent of the cumulative burned forest area since 1986 to emissions from the 88 largest fossil fuel companies and cement manufacturers. In Oregon, over 10,000 wildfires burned nearly 3.7 million acres between 2017 and 2022, including the 2021 Bootleg Fire which burned more than 400,000 acres. The document argues that these companies should be held accountable for the costs of climate change and wildfire resilience, and recommends state-level policies to reduce human-ignited fires, improve forest health, and protect vulnerable communities.

• Emissions from the 88 largest fossil fuel companies and cement manufacturers are responsible for 48 percent of the increase in fire-danger conditions in western North America since 1901.
• Since 1986, 37 percent of the cumulative burned forest area in western North America is attributable to emissions from these 88 carbon producers, representing nearly 19.8 million acres of the 53.0 million total acres burned.
• Oregon experienced significant wildfire damage from 2017 to 2022, with over 10,000 fires burning nearly 3.7 million acres and destroying more than 4,000 homes and businesses; the 2021 Bootleg Fire was the state's third-largest on record, burning over 400,000 acres.
• The document recommends that state governments hold fossil fuel companies accountable by preserving court access for impacted communities, accounting for climate risks in investments, and pressuring companies to end greenwashing and align business models with the Paris Agreement.

APA

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

Chicago

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

Wikipedia

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