N.C. Forest Service - Wildfire Statistics
Historical Wildfire Information
Official records of wildfire under the jurisdiction of the N.C. Forest Service are entered by county personnel and compiled in a statewide database of fire information. Paper records of fires in the state go back to 1928. In 1970, the system was computerized, allowing for quicker access to data and greater ease of entry.
Wildfire and Acreage Statistics: 1928- Present
| Year | Fires | Acreage |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 5,101 | 18, 748 |
| 2022 | 6,099 | 20,126 |
| 2021 | 5,025 | 13,816 |
| 2020 | 2,302 | 7,829 |
| 2019 | 3,757 | 9,094 |
| 2018 | 3,507 | 11,089 |
| 2017 | 4,763 | 15,041 |
| 2016 | 3,872 | 20,776 |
| 2015 | 3,886 | 10,587 |
| 2014 | 4,593 | 13,327 |
| 2013 | 3,374 | 9,451 |
| 2012 | 3,551 | 11,992 |
| 2011 | 5,265 | 63,547 |
| 2010 | 4,053 | 14,703 |
| 2009 | 3,292 | 12,328 |
| 2008 | 4,378 | 49,929 |
| 2007 | 7,260 | 36,850 |
| 2006 | 5,767 | 23,364 |
| 2005 | 4,078 | 14,981 |
| 2004 | 4,406 | 14,221 |
| 2003 | 2,041 | 31,843 |
| 2002 | 5,655 | 27,678 |
| 2001 | 8,240 | 28,576 |
| 2000 | 5,039 | 24,660 |
| 1999 | 6,341 | 27,389 |
| 1998 | 4,377 | 15,083 |
| 1997 | 4,663 | 16,037 |
| 1996 | 4,312 | 15,338 |
| 1995 | 5,296 | 21,253 |
| 1994 | 5,810 | 26,659 |
| 1993 | 4,793 | 25,334 |
| 1992 | 5,721 | 23,952 |
| 1991 | 5,051 | 24,336 |
| 1990 | 4,037 | 26,193 |
| 1989 | 2,660 | 14,440 |
| 1988 | 4,581 | 23,795 |
| 1987 | 3,908 | 17,834 |
| 1986 | 5,580 | 113,479 |
| 1985 | 7,320 | 162,473 |
| 1984 | 3,569 | 19,771 |
| 1983 | 2,900 | 12,579 |
| 1982 | 3,734 | 74,269 |
| 1981 | 8,746 | 108,253 |
| 1980 | 4,420 | 62,705 |
| 1979 | 3,563 | 30,767 |
| 1978 | 4,865 | 36,137 |
| 1977 | 5,836 | 38,295 |
| 1976 | 6,355 | 69,805 |
| 1975 | 2,710 | 16,321 |
| 1974 | 3,407 | 33,836 |
| 1973 | 3,649 | 29,658 |
| 1972 | 2,524 | 37,715 |
| 1971 | 4,015 | 79,864 |
| 1970 | 5,291 | 72,747 |
| 1969 | 4,177 | 67,254 |
| 1968 | 6,372 | 80,656 |
| 1967 | 5,501 | 100,445 |
| 1966 | 4,626 | 126,005 |
| 1965 | 4,691 | 66,005 |
| 1964 | 3,366 | 37,543 |
| 1963 | 4,826 | 277,946 |
| 1962 | 3,237 | 52,532 |
| 1961 | 3,417 | 58,793 |
| 1960 | 3,002 | 76,317 |
| 1959 | 3,047 | 85,204 |
| 1958 | 2,467 | 52,743 |
| 1957 | 2,273 | 150,583 |
| 1956 | 3,007 | 86,761 |
| 1955 | 3,689 | 580,103 |
| 1954 | 4,164 | 208,001 |
| 1953 | 3,143 | 153,536 |
| 1952 | 3,768 | 298,044 |
| 1951 | 3,377 | 185,418 |
| 1950 | 4,020 | 461,118 |
| 1949 | 2,442 | 107,571 |
| 1948 | 2,066 | 123,842 |
| 1947 | 2,688 | 166,745 |
| 1946 | 2,265 | 126,630 |
| 1945 | 2,456 | 315,055 |
| 1944 | 2,328 | 135,245 |
| 1943 | 3,778 | 302,655 |
| 1942 | 3,599 | 513,082 |
| 1941 | 5,252 | 728,947 |
| 1940 | 4,726 | 258,733 |
| 1939 | 4,155 | 250,950 |
| 1938 | 3,684 | 216,058 |
| 1937 | 3,404 | 150,561 |
| 1936 | 3,865 | 260,548 |
| 1935 | 2,423 | 115,733 |
| 1934 | 2,034 | 182,250 |
| 1933 | 2,100 | 143,880 |
| 1932 | 2,027 | 183,914 |
| 1931 | 3,262 | 308,317 |
| 1930 | 3,596 | 305,529 |
| 1929 | 1,238 | 89,870 |
| 1928 | 1,169 | 80,611 |
This page was last modified on 01/09/2025