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Wildfires Fast Facts

CNN Editorial Research
Updated 3:09 PM EST, Wed February 24, 2021
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BIG BEND, CA - NOVEMBER 10: The Camp Fire burns in the hills on November 10, 2018 near Big Bend, California. Fueled by high winds and low humidity the Camp Fire ripped through the town of Paradise charring 105,000 acres, killed 23 people and has destroyed over 6,700 homes and businesses. The fire is currently at 20 percent containment. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BIG BEND, CA - NOVEMBER 10: The Camp Fire burns in the hills on November 10, 2018 near Big Bend, California. Fueled by high winds and low humidity the Camp Fire ripped through the town of Paradise charring 105,000 acres, killed 23 people and has destroyed over 6,700 homes and businesses. The fire is currently at 20 percent containment. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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An airplane flies over a large wildfire plume from a recent flareup of the Woolsey Fire near Lake Sherwood, Calif., Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. Forecasters had warned of continuing fire danger in Southern California due to persistent Santa Ana winds, the withering, dry gusts that sweep out of the interior toward the coast, pushing back moist ocean breezes. (AP Photo/Amanda Myers)
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A firefighter runs while trying to save a home as a wildfire tears through Lakeport, Calif., Tuesday, July 31, 2018. The residence eventually burned. Firefighters pressed their battle against a pair of fires across Mendocino and Lake counties. In all, roughly 19,000 people have been warned to flee and 10,000 homes remain under threat. Noah Berger/AP
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A firefighter runs while trying to save a home as a wildfire tears through Lakeport, Calif., Tuesday, July 31, 2018. The residence eventually burned. Firefighters pressed their battle against a pair of fires across Mendocino and Lake counties. In all, roughly 19,000 people have been warned to flee and 10,000 homes remain under threat. Noah Berger/AP
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CNN —  

Here’s some background information about wildfires.

About

Wildfires are sometimes called “wildland fires.”

Wildfires can originate from a dropped match, cigarette embers, campfires, exhaust sparks from a train or arson. Many wildland fires are ignited by lightning.

There are no official rules, but the first responders usually name a fire after a meadow, creek, city or type of plant they see.

Wind, temperature and humidity all influence wildfires. Strong winds push flames toward new fuel sources. Wind can pick up and transfer burning embers and sparks, starting “spot fires.”

During the day, sunlight heats the ground and warm air rises, allowing hot air currents to travel up sloped landscapes. At night, the ground cools and air currents travel down the slopes.

Humidity dampens fuel, slowing the spread of flames. Humidity is greater at night, so fires usually burn less intensely then.

Large fires can create their own winds and weather, increasing their flow of oxygen. A really large fire can generate hurricane-force winds, up to 120 mph.

The National Interagency Fire Center lists wildfire fatalities from from 1910 to the present.

Largest monetary wildland fires losses are ranked by the Insurance Information Institute.

US Fire Season Summary

(National Interagency Fire Center)
2010
Fires: 71,971 Acres Burned: 3,422,724
2011
Fires: 74,126 Acres Burned: 8,711,367
2012
Fires: 67,774 Acres Burned: 9,326,238
2013
Fires: 47,579 Acres Burned: 4,319,546
2014
Fires: 63,312 Acres Burned: 3,595,613
2015
Fires: 68,151 Acres Burned: 10,125,149
2016
Fires: 67,743 Acres Burned: 5,509,995
2017
Fires: 71,499 Acres Burned: 10,026,086
2018
Fires: 58,083 Acres Burned: 8,767,492
2019
Fires: 50,477 Acres Burned: 4,664,364

Structures Destroyed by Wildfires, by Year

(National Interagency Coordination Center)

2010 - 788 structures destroyed: 338 residences, 445 outbuildings and five businesses. The annual average (since 1999) is 1,179 residences, 1,156 outbuildings and 42 businesses.

2011 - 5,246 structures destroyed: 3,459 residences, 1,711 outbuildings and 76 commercial structures. The annual average is 1,354 residences, 1,199 outbuildings and 45 commercial structures.

2012 - 4,244 structures destroyed: 2,216 residences, 1,961 outbuildings and 67 commercial structures. The annual average is 1,416 residences, 1,253 outbuildings and 46 commercial structures.

2013 - 2,135 structures destroyed: 1,093 residences, 945 outbuildings and 97 commercial structures. The annual average is 1,394 residences, 1,233 outbuildings and 50 commercial structures.

2014 - 1,953 structures destroyed: 1,038 residences, 874 minor structures, 20 commercial structures and 14 mixed commercial/residential structures. The annual average is 1,372 residences, 1,210 minor structures and 49 commercial structures.

2015 - 4,636 structures destroyed: 2,638 residences, 29 multiple residences, 1,849 minor structures, 111 commercial structures and nine mixed commercial/residential structures. The annual average is 1,449 residences, 1,248 minor structures and 53 commercial structures.

2016 - 4,312 structures were destroyed: 3,192 residences, 1,025 minor structures, 78 commercial structures and 17 mixed commercial/residential structures. The annual average is 1,449 residences, 1,248 minor structures and 53 commercial structures.

2017 - 12,306 structures were destroyed: 8,065 residences, 4,002 minor structures, 229 commercial structures and 10 mixed commercial/residential structures. The annual average is 1,545 residences, 1,236 minor structures and 55 commercial structures.

2018 - 25,790 structures were destroyed: 18,137 residences, 6,927 minor structures and 229 commercial/residential structures. The annual average is 2,701 residences, 1,379 minor structures and 64 commercial/mixed residential structures. The number of structures destroyed in 2018 is more than twice the 2017 figure.

2019 - 963 structures were destroyed: 444 residences, 482 minor structures and 37 commercial/residential structures. The annual average is 2,593 residences, 1,600 minor structures and 94 commercial/mixed residential structures.

2020 - 17,904 structures were destroyed: 9,630 residences, 7,255 minor structures and 1,119 commercial/mixed residential structures. The annual average is 2,913 residences, 1,857 minor structures and 141 commercial/mixed residential structures.

Firefighters look out over a burning hillside as they fight the Blue Ridge Fire in Yorba Linda, California, on Monday, October 26.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
Firefighters look out over a burning hillside as they fight the Blue Ridge Fire in Yorba Linda, California, on Monday, October 26.
A man evacuates his home as flames from the Blue Ridge Fire approach in Chino Hills, California, on Tuesday, October 27.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
David McNew/Getty Images
A man evacuates his home as flames from the Blue Ridge Fire approach in Chino Hills, California, on Tuesday, October 27.
Firefighters conduct a backfire operation in Chino Hills on October 27.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Myung J Chun/Los Angeles Times/Shutterstock
Firefighters conduct a backfire operation in Chino Hills on October 27.
A firefighter uses a hose as the Silverado Fire approaches near Irvine, California.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Mike Blake/Reuters
A firefighter uses a hose as the Silverado Fire approaches near Irvine, California.
Firefighter Raymond Vasquez battles the Silverado Fire in Irvine on Monday, October 26.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Jae C. Hong/AP
Firefighter Raymond Vasquez battles the Silverado Fire in Irvine on Monday, October 26.
Flames rise from mountain ridges near a farmstead as a wildfire burns near Granby, Colorado, on Thursday, October 22.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
David Zalubowski/AP
Flames rise from mountain ridges near a farmstead as a wildfire burns near Granby, Colorado, on Thursday, October 22.
Evacuees drive through a traffic jam exiting Big Thompson Canyon as the East Troublesome Fire forced residents out of Estes Park, Colorado, on October 22.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Bethany Baker/USA Today Network/Reuters
Evacuees drive through a traffic jam exiting Big Thompson Canyon as the East Troublesome Fire forced residents out of Estes Park, Colorado, on October 22.
Structures burned by the Cal-Wood Fire are seen in Boulder County, Colorado, on October 18.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Matthew Jonas/MediaNews Group/Boulder Daily Camera/Getty Images
Structures burned by the Cal-Wood Fire are seen in Boulder County, Colorado, on October 18.
Flames from the Cameron Peak Fire, the largest wildfire in Colorado history, work their way along a ridge outside Estes Park on October 16.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Bethany Baker/The Coloradoan/USA Today Network
Flames from the Cameron Peak Fire, the largest wildfire in Colorado history, work their way along a ridge outside Estes Park on October 16.
An airplane drops fire retardant on the Bruder Fire in Redlands, California, on October 15.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times/Shutterstock
An airplane drops fire retardant on the Bruder Fire in Redlands, California, on October 15.
Dr. Alex Herman, right, and veterinary technician Linden West examine <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2020/10/01/us/mountain-lion-cub-rescued-california-zogg-fire/index.html" target="_blank">Captain Cal,</a> a 6-week-old mountain lion cub recovering from severe burn injuries at the Oakland Zoo Hospital in Oakland, California. The zoo later took in <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2020/10/11/us/oakland-zoo-mountain-lion-rescued-from-wildfire-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">two more cubs rescued</a> from the same fire.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images
Dr. Alex Herman, right, and veterinary technician Linden West examine Captain Cal, a 6-week-old mountain lion cub recovering from severe burn injuries at the Oakland Zoo Hospital in Oakland, California. The zoo later took in two more cubs rescued from the same fire.
Burned bottles of wine sit in a pile at the Castello di Amorosa winery, which was destroyed by the Glass Fire in Calistoga, California, on October 1. Wildfires have damaged and <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/11/us/california-wildfires-wineries/index.html" target="_blank">destroyed dozens of the region's famed wineries,</a> many of them family-owned businesses.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Burned bottles of wine sit in a pile at the Castello di Amorosa winery, which was destroyed by the Glass Fire in Calistoga, California, on October 1. Wildfires have damaged and destroyed dozens of the region's famed wineries, many of them family-owned businesses.
A firefighter walks along a path as the Glass Fire burns in Calistoga, California, on October 1.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
A firefighter walks along a path as the Glass Fire burns in Calistoga, California, on October 1.
Vehicles burned in the Glass Fire sit outside of a home that survived in Calistoga on September 30.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Samuel Corum/AFP/Getty Images
Vehicles burned in the Glass Fire sit outside of a home that survived in Calistoga on September 30.
The remains of guest houses smolder at Calistoga Ranch after the Glass Fire passed through on September 30.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Samuel Corum/AFP/Getty Images
The remains of guest houses smolder at Calistoga Ranch after the Glass Fire passed through on September 30.
Firefighter Abraham Garcia signals a water truck in Angwin, California, on September 29.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Paul Kuroda/Sipa USA
Firefighter Abraham Garcia signals a water truck in Angwin, California, on September 29.
Firefighters watch the Glass Fire slowly creep across a clearing near Calistoga on September 29.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times/Shutterstock
Firefighters watch the Glass Fire slowly creep across a clearing near Calistoga on September 29.
Damaged wine barrels sit stacked at the Fairwinds Estate Winery in Calistoga on September 29.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Damaged wine barrels sit stacked at the Fairwinds Estate Winery in Calistoga on September 29.
The Glass Fire burns in the background as Josh Asbury, an employee of CableCom, installs fiber-optic cable in Calistoga on September 28.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Adrees Latif/Reuters
The Glass Fire burns in the background as Josh Asbury, an employee of CableCom, installs fiber-optic cable in Calistoga on September 28.
Residents of the Oakmont Gardens senior home are transported to safety as the Shady Fire approaches in Santa Rosa on September 28.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Residents of the Oakmont Gardens senior home are transported to safety as the Shady Fire approaches in Santa Rosa on September 28.
Cellar worker Jose Juan Perez extinguishes hotspots at Castello di Amorosa, a Calistoga winery that was damaged in the Glass Fire.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Cellar worker Jose Juan Perez extinguishes hotspots at Castello di Amorosa, a Calistoga winery that was damaged in the Glass Fire.
An officer with Napa County Animal Control rescues a cat after the Glass Fire passed through Napa Valley, California, on September 28.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Samuel Corum/AFP/Getty Images
An officer with Napa County Animal Control rescues a cat after the Glass Fire passed through Napa Valley, California, on September 28.
The Glass Fire burns on a Napa County mountainside on September 28.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
The Glass Fire burns on a Napa County mountainside on September 28.
Flames from the Glass Fire consume the Black Rock Inn in St. Helena, California, on September 27.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Flames from the Glass Fire consume the Black Rock Inn in St. Helena, California, on September 27.
Embers fly from a tree as the Glass Fire burns in St. Helena on September 27.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Embers fly from a tree as the Glass Fire burns in St. Helena on September 27.
An air tanker drops fire retardant on the Glass Fire, which was burning near the Davis Estates winery in Calistoga on September 27.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
An air tanker drops fire retardant on the Glass Fire, which was burning near the Davis Estates winery in Calistoga on September 27.
Cal Fire Capt. Jesse Campbell works to save the Louis Stralla Water Treatment Plant as the Glass Fire burns in St. Helena.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Cal Fire Capt. Jesse Campbell works to save the Louis Stralla Water Treatment Plant as the Glass Fire burns in St. Helena.
A photograph of Charles Morton, a firefighter killed battling the El Dorado Fire, is displayed at a memorial service in San Bernardino, California, on September 25. Morton, 39, was a 14-year veteran of the US Forest Service and a squad boss with the Big Bear Hotshot Crew of the San Bernardino National Forest.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Mario Tama/Getty Images
A photograph of Charles Morton, a firefighter killed battling the El Dorado Fire, is displayed at a memorial service in San Bernardino, California, on September 25. Morton, 39, was a 14-year veteran of the US Forest Service and a squad boss with the Big Bear Hotshot Crew of the San Bernardino National Forest.
An inmate firefighter takes a break while working to contain the Bear Fire in Oroville, California, on September 24.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Go Nakamura/Bloomberg/Getty Images
An inmate firefighter takes a break while working to contain the Bear Fire in Oroville, California, on September 24.
Inmate firefighters extinguish hot spots while working to contain the Bear Fire on September 24.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Go Nakamura/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Inmate firefighters extinguish hot spots while working to contain the Bear Fire on September 24.
The Bobcat Fire burns near Cedar Springs, California, on September 21.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images
The Bobcat Fire burns near Cedar Springs, California, on September 21.
Wildfire smoke rises in Medicine Bow National Forest in southeastern Wyoming on September 21.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Jerod Delay/AP
Wildfire smoke rises in Medicine Bow National Forest in southeastern Wyoming on September 21.
A deer looks for food in an area burned by the Bobcat Fire in Pearblossom, California.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Kyle Grillot/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
A deer looks for food in an area burned by the Bobcat Fire in Pearblossom, California.
A woman takes photos as the Bobcat Fire burns in Juniper Hills, California, on September 18.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP
A woman takes photos as the Bobcat Fire burns in Juniper Hills, California, on September 18.
Wind whips embers from Joshua trees burned by the Bobcat Fire in Juniper Hills on September 18.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP
Wind whips embers from Joshua trees burned by the Bobcat Fire in Juniper Hills on September 18.
Firefighter Kirk McDusky walks past smoke rising from the Brattain Fire in Paisley, Oregon, on September 18.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Adrees Latif/Reuters
Firefighter Kirk McDusky walks past smoke rising from the Brattain Fire in Paisley, Oregon, on September 18.
A Juniper Hills home burns during the Bobcat Fire on September 18.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Kyle Grillot/AFP/Getty Images
A Juniper Hills home burns during the Bobcat Fire on September 18.
A firefighter battles the Bobcat Fire while defending the Mount Wilson observatory in Los Angeles on September 17.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Ringo Chiu/Reuters
A firefighter battles the Bobcat Fire while defending the Mount Wilson observatory in Los Angeles on September 17.
Stacey Kahny fixes her hair inside her tent at the evacuation center at the Jackson County Fairgrounds in Central Point, Oregon, on September 16. Kahny lived with her parents at a trailer park in Phoenix, Oregon, that was destroyed by fire.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Paula Bronstein/AFP/Getty Images
Stacey Kahny fixes her hair inside her tent at the evacuation center at the Jackson County Fairgrounds in Central Point, Oregon, on September 16. Kahny lived with her parents at a trailer park in Phoenix, Oregon, that was destroyed by fire.
A charred yearbook lies in the debris as Fred Skaff and his son Thomas clean up their home in Phoenix, Oregon, on September 16.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Paula Bronstein/AFP/Getty Images
A charred yearbook lies in the debris as Fred Skaff and his son Thomas clean up their home in Phoenix, Oregon, on September 16.
In this aerial photo taken with a drone, red fire retardant sits on leveled homes in Talent, Oregon, on September 15.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
In this aerial photo taken with a drone, red fire retardant sits on leveled homes in Talent, Oregon, on September 15.
A firefighter works at the scene of the Bobcat Fire burning on hillsides near Monrovia, California, on September 15.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Ringo Chiu/AFP/Getty Images
A firefighter works at the scene of the Bobcat Fire burning on hillsides near Monrovia, California, on September 15.
President Donald Trump listens as California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about the wildfires during a briefing on September 14.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Andrew Harnik/AP
President Donald Trump listens as California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks about the wildfires during a briefing on September 14.
George Coble walks through his destroyed property in Mill City, Oregon, on September 12.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
John Locher/AP
George Coble walks through his destroyed property in Mill City, Oregon, on September 12.
The Bobcat Fire burns in Angeles National Forest, north of Monrovia, California, on September 11.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Etienne Laurent/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
The Bobcat Fire burns in Angeles National Forest, north of Monrovia, California, on September 11.
Crystal Sparks kisses her 4-year-old twins, Chance and Ryder Sutton, as they escape the Obenchain Fire in Butte Falls, Oregon, on September 11.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Adrees Latif/Reuters
Crystal Sparks kisses her 4-year-old twins, Chance and Ryder Sutton, as they escape the Obenchain Fire in Butte Falls, Oregon, on September 11.
North Valley Disaster Group member Kari Zeitler and Butte County Animal Control officer Linda Newman bridle up two donkeys wandering along a roadside in Berry Creek, California, on September 11. The donkeys were displaced by the Bear Fire.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Peter DaSilva/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
North Valley Disaster Group member Kari Zeitler and Butte County Animal Control officer Linda Newman bridle up two donkeys wandering along a roadside in Berry Creek, California, on September 11. The donkeys were displaced by the Bear Fire.
A firefighter shoots an incendiary device during a back burn to help control the Dolan Fire in Big Sur, California, on September 11.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Nic Coury/AP
A firefighter shoots an incendiary device during a back burn to help control the Dolan Fire in Big Sur, California, on September 11.
Dora Negrete is consoled by her son Hector Rocha after seeing their destroyed mobile home in Talent, Oregon, on September 10.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Paula Bronstein/AP
Dora Negrete is consoled by her son Hector Rocha after seeing their destroyed mobile home in Talent, Oregon, on September 10.
This aerial photo shows a destroyed mobile-home park in Phoenix, Oregon, on September 10.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
David Ryder/Getty Images
This aerial photo shows a destroyed mobile-home park in Phoenix, Oregon, on September 10.
A street is shrouded by smoke from wildfires in West Linn, Oregon, on September 10.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Christian Gallagher/AP
A street is shrouded by smoke from wildfires in West Linn, Oregon, on September 10.
A tanker jet drops fire retardant to slow the Bobcat Fire in the Angeles National Forest north of Monrovia, California, on September 10.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
David McNew/Getty Images
A tanker jet drops fire retardant to slow the Bobcat Fire in the Angeles National Forest north of Monrovia, California, on September 10.
Looking up San Francisco's Columbus Avenue, the Transamerica Pyramid and Salesforce Tower are covered with smoke from nearby wildfires on September 9. This photo was taken in the late morning.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Eric Risberg/AP
Looking up San Francisco's Columbus Avenue, the Transamerica Pyramid and Salesforce Tower are covered with smoke from nearby wildfires on September 9. This photo was taken in the late morning.
Visitors of San Francisco's Dolores Park are seen under an orange sky <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/09/weather/california-orange-skies-wildfires-photos-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">darkened by smoke</a> on September 9.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Stephen Lam/Reuters
Visitors of San Francisco's Dolores Park are seen under an orange sky darkened by smoke on September 9.
Wildfire smoke hangs over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on September 9.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Michael Short/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Wildfire smoke hangs over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on September 9.
Bejhan Razi, a senior building inspector in Mill Valley, California, checks out repairs on a lamp-post clock as the sky is illuminated by nearby wildfires.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Scott Strazzante/The San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers/Getty Images
Bejhan Razi, a senior building inspector in Mill Valley, California, checks out repairs on a lamp-post clock as the sky is illuminated by nearby wildfires.
People stand in Alamo Square Park as smoke hangs over San Francisco on September 9.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty Images
People stand in Alamo Square Park as smoke hangs over San Francisco on September 9.
People stop to take pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge as it is affected from smoke by nearby wildfires on September 9.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Eric Risberg/AP
People stop to take pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge as it is affected from smoke by nearby wildfires on September 9.
Firefighters cut defensive lines and light backfires to protect structures in Butte County, California, on September 9.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
Firefighters cut defensive lines and light backfires to protect structures in Butte County, California, on September 9.
Flames shoot from a home in Butte County.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Flames shoot from a home in Butte County.
A Pacific Gas and Electric worker looks up at the advancing Creek Fire near Alder Springs, California, on September 8.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
A Pacific Gas and Electric worker looks up at the advancing Creek Fire near Alder Springs, California, on September 8.
Lisa Theis unloads the last of her 44 alpacas after she evacuated her ranch in North Fork, California.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Peter DaSilva/UPI/Alamy Live News
Lisa Theis unloads the last of her 44 alpacas after she evacuated her ranch in North Fork, California.
Flames burn at a home leveled by the Creek Fire in Fresno County, California.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Flames burn at a home leveled by the Creek Fire in Fresno County, California.
A slide is melted at a school playground in Fresno County.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
A slide is melted at a school playground in Fresno County.
Rubble is seen on September 7 after a wildfire left the small town of Malden, Washington, in ruins. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/08/us/malden-washington-fire-town-destroyed/index.html" target="_blank">The fire destroyed about 80% of the homes and buildings in Malden,</a> which is about 35 miles south of Spokane.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Jesse Tinsley/AP
Rubble is seen on September 7 after a wildfire left the small town of Malden, Washington, in ruins. The fire destroyed about 80% of the homes and buildings in Malden, which is about 35 miles south of Spokane.
Firefighter Nick Grinstead battles the Creek Fire in Shaver Lake, California, on September 7.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Firefighter Nick Grinstead battles the Creek Fire in Shaver Lake, California, on September 7.
A firefighter in Jamul, California, battles the Valley Fire on September 6.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Sandy Huffaker/AFP/Getty Images
A firefighter in Jamul, California, battles the Valley Fire on September 6.
A fire encroaches Japatul Road in Jamul on September 6.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Sandy Huffaker/AFP/Getty Images
A fire encroaches Japatul Road in Jamul on September 6.
Little League baseball players warm up for a game near Dehesa, California, as the Valley Fire burns on September 6.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Sandy Huffaker/AFP/Getty Images
Little League baseball players warm up for a game near Dehesa, California, as the Valley Fire burns on September 6.
A firefighter watches the advancing Creek Fire in Shaver Lake.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
A firefighter watches the advancing Creek Fire in Shaver Lake.
A business owner in Shaver Lake walks next to kayaks he rents as smoke from the Creek Fire fills the sky on September 6.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
A business owner in Shaver Lake walks next to kayaks he rents as smoke from the Creek Fire fills the sky on September 6.
Family members comfort each other as the El Dorado Fire moves closer to their home in Yucaipa, California, on September 6.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Terry Pierson/Orange County Register/Zuma
Family members comfort each other as the El Dorado Fire moves closer to their home in Yucaipa, California, on September 6.
A firefighter sets a controlled burn with a drip torch while fighting the Creek Fire in Shaver Lake.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
A firefighter sets a controlled burn with a drip torch while fighting the Creek Fire in Shaver Lake.
Dozens of evacuees are airlifted to safety on a California National Guard helicopter on September 5. The Creek Fire had left them stranded in a popular camping area in the Sierra National Forest.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
California National Guard/AP
Dozens of evacuees are airlifted to safety on a California National Guard helicopter on September 5. The Creek Fire had left them stranded in a popular camping area in the Sierra National Forest.
Firefighters walk in a line in Yucaipa on September 5.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP
Firefighters walk in a line in Yucaipa on September 5.
Haze and smoke blanket the sky near Naches, Washington, as the Evans Canyon Fire burns on September 3.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Amanda Ray/Yakima Herald-Republic/AP
Haze and smoke blanket the sky near Naches, Washington, as the Evans Canyon Fire burns on September 3.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, right, listens as Santa Cruz State Park Superintendent Chris Spohrer talks about the fire damage to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
LiPo Ching/San Francisco Chronicle/AP
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, right, listens as Santa Cruz State Park Superintendent Chris Spohrer talks about the fire damage to the Big Basin Redwoods State Park.
Randy Hunt packs up his belongings, including his daughter Natasha's first Pooh bear, left, in case he and his wife Sheli had to evacuate the home they rent in Middletown, California, on August 26.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times/Getty Images
Randy Hunt packs up his belongings, including his daughter Natasha's first Pooh bear, left, in case he and his wife Sheli had to evacuate the home they rent in Middletown, California, on August 26.
Firefighter Juan Chavarin pulls down a burning tree trunk in Guerneville, California, on August 25.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images
Firefighter Juan Chavarin pulls down a burning tree trunk in Guerneville, California, on August 25.
A sign reading "Vaca Strong" adorns a charred hillside in Vacaville, California, on August 24.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
A sign reading "Vaca Strong" adorns a charred hillside in Vacaville, California, on August 24.
Austin Giannuzzi cries while embracing relatives at the burned remains of their Vacaville home on August 23.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
Austin Giannuzzi cries while embracing relatives at the burned remains of their Vacaville home on August 23.
A firefighter looks out from a helicopter while battling the LNU Lightning Complex fires in Lake County, California.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
A firefighter looks out from a helicopter while battling the LNU Lightning Complex fires in Lake County, California.
Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires leap above Butts Canyon Road in Lake County on August 23.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires leap above Butts Canyon Road in Lake County on August 23.
Karol Markowski of the South Pasadena Fire Department hoses down hot spots while battling the CZU Lightning Complex fires in Boulder Creek, California, on August 22.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
Karol Markowski of the South Pasadena Fire Department hoses down hot spots while battling the CZU Lightning Complex fires in Boulder Creek, California, on August 22.
A burned-out vehicle is left in front of a destroyed residence as smoke fills the sky in Boulder Creek on August 22.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
A burned-out vehicle is left in front of a destroyed residence as smoke fills the sky in Boulder Creek on August 22.
Smoke hangs low in the air at the Big Basin Redwoods State Park as some redwoods burn in Boulder Creek on August 22.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Smoke hangs low in the air at the Big Basin Redwoods State Park as some redwoods burn in Boulder Creek on August 22.
A firefighter watches the LNU Lightning Complex fires spread through the Berryessa Estates neighborhood in Napa County on August 21.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
A firefighter watches the LNU Lightning Complex fires spread through the Berryessa Estates neighborhood in Napa County on August 21.
Veterinary technician Brianna Jeter comforts a llama injured by a fire in Vacaville on August 21. At right, animal control officer Dae Kim prepares to euthanize the llama.
Photos: Wildfires burning in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Veterinary technician Brianna Jeter comforts a llama injured by a fire in Vacaville on August 21. At right, animal control officer Dae Kim prepares to euthanize the llama.