NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information
Updated: 15 July 2013
Number of fires & acres burned in July 2000-2013
Acres burned per fire in July 2000-2013
Overview
During July, wildfire activity was below average. An estimated 6,149 fires burned 866,765 acres, with an average fire size of 141 acres per fire. The number of fires during July was the least on record, while the acreage burned was the third least in the 14-year period of record. Despite the low fire counts during the month, several large wildfires did impact the West. The Douglas Complex Fire in southwest Oregon burned approximately 28,000 acres between July 26th and the end of the month and was only 9 percent contained on August 1st. This fire caused significant air quality issues in the Northwest. The Bison Fire in western Nevada burned 24,000 acres and was one of the largest fires to ever impact that part of the state. Neither fire directly impacted populated areas. For the year-to-date, the number of fires was record low, while the acreage burned was the fourth smallest on record.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) :
For more wildfire statistics visit U.S. Wildfires.
Discussion
Much of the nation was wetter than average during July, with the exception of the Northwest and Upper Mississippi River Valley. Increased monsoonal flow in the Southwest caused widespread precipitation and limited wildfire activity across the region. Several large wildfires burned in Alaska, where the month as warm and dry, creating ideal wildfire conditions. Over the course of July, drought conditions changed little in the drought-stricken West, despite the above-average rainfall. Parts of the Southern Rockies and Southern Plains did experience some drought improvement. As of July 30th, over 20 percent of Alaska was experiencing drought conditions, with a small portion of central Alaska in severe drought.
