2023 North American Wildfires

Though we would like to, we are unable to share information on every fire across the continent. Below, you will find some general information about the most significant fires of 2023.

We cover fires that significantly impact the surrounding areas and environment and affect residents, especially at-risk populations.

The National Preparedness Level – set by the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group – was decreased on Sept. 7 to Level 3, which means: “Wildfire activity is ongoing through about a quarter of the country, requiring the National Interagency Coordination Center to set priorities, allocate resources, and mobilize wildland firefighters, aircraft and equipment at the national level.”

The National Interagency Fire Center statistics show that, as of Sept. 9, 2023, there have been 43,899 fires this year that have burned 2.33 million acres. This is significantly below the 10-year average (2013-2022) of 44,566 fires and the average acreage of 6.04 million acres.

There are currently 56 large wildfires burning just under 400,000 acres across 10 states. Only two fires are fully contained (the perimeter percentage where there is no risk of further spread), although fires may still burn within the containment area.

While there are currently no significant fires burning in Hawaii (Hawaiian: Hawai’i), several wildfires burned in Hawaii the week of Aug. 6. The largest of these fires, in Lahaina on Maui, was the biggest natural hazard disaster in Hawaii’s history and has the highest number of deaths in a wildfire since 1918. The unique nature of the fires – a combination of drought, lightning and Hurricane Dora – was highlighted in this Reuters interactive story.

Lahaina is a tourist town. It was home to 12,000 people and had dozens of historic buildings dating back to the 1700s, many of them made from wood. The physical infrastructure of the community has been nearly destroyed.

On Sept. 18, the list of fatalities was decreased from 115 to 97, and the number of missing decreased from 41 to 31. Officials realized they had multiple samples of the same DNA, as remains were often found together. They suspect that while the fire approached, people huddled together with their family and pets, so separating and identifying people has been challenging. Officials say the number may still rise.

As of Sept. 19, 74 people who died have been identified. The ages range from 7 to 97 years old, with 51 people aged 65 or older.

This is the deadliest fire in the U.S. since the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California. In miraculous news, a home that had been cut off from communications was found to be sheltering 60 survivors, more than a week after the Lahaina fire.

Governor Josh Green estimated that the structural damage costs will be in the billions. Including Hawaii, there have been at least 23 billion-dollar disasters in the U.S. as of the end of August 2023. Estimated insured losses have exceeded $5 billion. This is only a fraction of the losses as many people were not insured, and others – like loss of life and sacred spaces – cannot be quantified.

At least 2,207 buildings have been damaged or destroyed; 86% of these were residential.

On Maui, in addition to the Lahaina fire (90% containment and 2,170 acres), there were also fires in Pulehu/Kihei and Upcountry Maui.

As of Aug. 22, at least 19 homes and dozens of other structures were destroyed in the Upcountry/Kila wildfire (16 in Kila and three in Olinda), and many other homes were damaged.

According to The Guardian, “The fires in Hawaii are unlike many of those burning in the western US. They tend to break out in large grasslands on the dry sides of the islands and are generally much smaller than mainland fires. Fires were rare in Hawaii and on other tropical islands before humans arrived and ecosystems evolved without them, which means that great environmental damage can occur when fires erupt. Fires remove vegetation. When a fire is followed by heavy rainfall, the rain can carry loose soil into the ocean, where it can smother coral reefs.”

You can support CDP’s response to the wildfires by donating to our Hawaii Wildfires Recovery Fund.

Related content

As of Sept. 21, fire officials are tracking 365 smaller fires burning in Alaska.

Editor’s note: In California, we usually focus on fires that exceed 50,000 acres.

The atmospheric rivers, heavy rains, flooding and increased snowpack reduced the severity of early fires in California this year. As of Sept. 21, California has had 5,474 wildfires, with a total of 257,407 acres burned.

There have been three firefighter fatalities, one civilian fatality, nine structures damaged and 33 structures reported destroyed. The three firefighters died on Aug. 6 after two helicopters collided while fighting a fire in Cabazon, California. A 71-year-old man was found deceased in the driveway of his home on Aug. 18 in the Head Fire.

There are a few individual fires and fire complexes burning in Northern California. The largest – the Smith River Complex – shares a border with Oregon and is described under that write-up. The smoke from the wildfires in these two states is affecting the air quality in the Bay Area.

SRF Lightning Complex and Redwood Lightning Complex combined two fire complexes. According to InciWeb, “On the evening of August 17, the Six Rivers National Forest and Redwood National and State Parks received 150 lighting strikes across the area spanning almost 1 million acres. After the significant lightning event there were 27 confirmed fires. The largest fires on the Six Rivers National Forest include the Pearch, Mosquito, Bluff #1, Blue Creek #2, Marlow and Copper.”

Only 7% of the perimeter has been contained. There are currently 14 fires burning in the complex, ranging from 0.1 acres to 8,304.56 acres, for a total of 30,564 acres.

You can support CDP’s response to the wildfires by donating to our California Wildfires Recovery Fund.

Related reading

In Louisiana, nearly 550 wildfires burned in the month of August alone, and fires have been an ongoing concern in the month of September, but rain early in the month helped improve control. Governor John Bel Edwards issued a state emergency declaration (141 JBE 2023) related to the coinciding impacts of drought, extreme heat and wildfires.

There are three significant fires burning in Louisiana as of Sept. 21, but they are mostly contained. The high pre-existing level of drought and potential heat through early fall means fire risk still exists.

According to a local NBC TV channel KPLC, “Over two-thirds of Louisiana is experiencing exceptional or extreme drought, and this is not expected to change over the coming weeks. An additional 12 to 15 inches of rain over a period of weeks is needed to correct the current drought.”

Tiger Island Fire: The Tiger Island Fire has been burning since Aug. 24 in Beauregard Parish near Deridder, Merryville and Singer. It currently has burned 31,290 acres and has reached 84% containment. It doubled in size from Aug. 25 to Aug. 27 and is the largest wildfire in Louisiana’s history. There have been almost 30 structures lost, including at least six homes, and two people have died. While the primary fuels are pine plantations, creeks and swamps make access difficult for firefighters. Additionally, there is oil and gas infrastructure, private homes and “heavy residual fuels as a result of Hurricane Laura in 2020 exist and contribute to extreme fire behavior and resistance to control.” At one point, more than 3,700 people were evacuated, although some have been allowed to return home.

There are 25 active fires in Montana (1,518 for the year) as of Sept. 21. So far, 116,266 acres have burned. These are the significant fires as of Sept. 21:

The East Fork Fire is burning 12 miles south of Trego, in the Kootenai and Flathead National Forests of Montana. The fire, which lightning sparked on July 30, has reached 5,259 acres and has 75% containment.

The River Road East fire was reported on Aug. 18 in the Lolo National Forest near Paradise, Montana. Due to high winds, there was rapid spread of the fire. It has reached  17,313 acres with 59% containment. Several structures are at risk, and at least 55 structures, including 15 primary homes, have been burned in the fire.

This year, there have been 42,689 fires in Oregon, burning a total of 2.2 million acres.

There are currently 34 active fires that have burned almost 126,000 acres. Many of the fires have significant containment.

Oregon is at Preparedness Level 4,” This level involves three or more geographic areas experiencing large, complex wildfires requiring IMTs [Incident Management Teams]. Geographic areas are competing for wildland fire suppression resources and about 60 percent of the country’s IMTs and wildland firefighting personnel are committed to wildland fire incidents.”

The fires in Oregon and Northern California are affecting the air quality in the Bay Area. The Flat Fire burned 34,242 acres and is 75% contained. It injured 31 people and destroyed two non-residential structures. The Bedrock Fire burned 31,590 acres, including one home and three other structures. It injured 18 people. It has 98% containment.

The Anvil Fire, discovered Aug. 25, has burned 15,755 acres with no containment or determined cause as of Sept. 21. It has injured eight people, but there are no deaths or structure damage. The fire is burning in the Grassy Knob Wilderness on Anvil Mountain and is east of Port Orford by 7.5 miles. There is very active fire behavior that includes”short runs through tree crowns and up hills, and long-range spotting (embers carried by wind away from the main fire to start new small fires).” Firefighters are working to protect residences, and evacuations are in place.

The Lookout Fire is a lightning-caused fire burning in the Willamette National Forest. It has burned 25,640 acres and has 50% containment. All evacuations have been changed to a “Be Ready” status, meaning residents can return home but should be prepared to leave if needed. There have been 21 injuries but no fatalities or structure damage.

The Smith River Complex is burning on the Oregon-California border in the Six Rivers National Forest. It has reached 93,559 acres and has 76% containment. The fire started on Aug. 15, after there were 150 lightning strikes in one night, starting 27 fires, 12 of which were included in the complex. Currently, the fire is being managed by Northwest Incident Management Team 8. There is very limited access due to the rugged terrain. The firefighting activities have produced heavy smoke at times.

There are dozens of fires and dozens more hot spots visible on satellite that may also be wildfires currently burning. Two of the fires have left two dead, hundreds of buildings damaged or destroyed, and thousands of people evacuated. At least 185 structures were destroyed in The Gray Fire.

The Sourdough Fire started on July 29 and has burned 6,369 as of Sept. 21 with 25% containment. It is located near Diablo, 7 miles northeast of Newhalem, in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area, within the North Cascades National Park Service Complex. The fire is burning in very steep terrain, which makes it difficult to fight. Most of the growth is in very remote areas. There will be no change in containment until there is a “season ending event” such as heavy rains or snow. Homes and other structures have containment perimeters around them.

Firefighters have helped in Canada from several countries, including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, France, South Africa and Costa Rica.

On June 27, Canada surpassed the record set in 1989 for the total area burned in one wildfire season. Record heat is affecting even the typically cooler northern territories.

According to the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, Canada’s wildfires released 360 million tons (327 million metric tons) of carbon into the atmosphere as of Aug. 23. Of that, just over 106 million tons (97 metric tons) came from the Northwest Territories alone, which is 277 times more than humans caused in 2021.

In September, the CIFFC decreased to Preparedness Level 4, the second-highest level, as changing weather, including rain and cooling temperatures, reduced the number of incidents across provinces and territories in Canada.

That said, as of Sept. 21, 2023, the CIFFC has reported 6,371 fires in the year-to-date and 43.5  million acres burned. CIFFC statistics showed 908 active fires, with 522 out of control, 184 being held and 202 under control. The amount that has burned so far this year is about 4% of Canada’s forests. Annually, the world loses 17.3 million acres to deforestation, so Canada’s fires alone account for more than double that typical loss.

Six people have died so far this year. Two of the deaths were civilians: a 9-year-old boy in British Columbia whose asthma was exacerbated by the smoke and a hospitalized patient who died during the Yellowknife evacuation. The hospital said his death was “expected.” Four of the fatalities were among people engaged in firefighting activities.

On July 13, 19-year-old nursing student Devyn Gale was trapped under a tree while fighting a wildland fire in British Columbia. Adam Yeadon, a 25-year-old firefighter in the Northwest Territories, was killed fighting a small fire near Fort Liard. On July 20, a 41-year-old helicopter pilot delivering water to the fire died after his helicopter collided with the ground. On July 28, a 25-year-old firefighter from Ontario died in northern British Columbia while fighting the largest fire in the province’s history.

Over the course of the fires, nearly 200,000 people were evacuated for some length of time.

In Alberta, there are 84 active fires, and there have already been more than 1,022 fires in 2023, as of Sept. 21. Of the active fires, 3.57% were out of control.

In the Sept. 18 “Wildfires of Note” from the Government of Alberta, there were only two wildfires of note, meaning a wildfire that is highly visible or poses a potential threat to public safety.

The Basset Complex is composed of three wildfires that are being managed together. The largest is 242,000 acres and is 31 miles south of High River.

The Wood Buffalo Complex is composed of two large fires on the border of Alberta and the Northwest Territories. It is being managed by three agencies: Alberta Wildfire, Parks Canada and the Northwest Territories, working together under Unified Command.

Wood Buffalo complex is currently 1.21 million acres. It is located approximately 2.5 south of Fort Smith, NWT and 3.7 miles south of Fort Fitzgerald, AB.

British Columbia has seen 2,220 fires in 2023, and 387 fires were active as of Sept. 21, with 143 of those considered out of control. Most of the active fires (314) were caused by lightning. There were 11 fires of note, which are fires that are “highly visible or poses a potential threat to public safety.”

Wildfires have already burned a record amount of land (6.12 million acres) in the province, nearly doubling the previous record set in 2018 (3.35 million acres).

The largest-ever fire in British Columbia, the Donnie Creek Blaze, burned an area larger than Prince Edward Island. It is burning on the traditional territory of the Blueberry River, Prophet River and Doig River First Nations. The fire has burned traplines, important ceremonial landmarks, massive amounts of timber, blueberries and other berries, and habitat for deer, bison and moose. This will cause significant disruptions to Indigenous communities and the lumber and milling industries. The fire burned about 1.4 million acres or 2,200 square miles, and is still burning. It may temper over the winter and then reemerge in the spring.

On Aug. 17, residents of West Kelowna were ordered to evacuate as the McDougall Creek Fire jumped the creek, putting numerous homes at risk. Kelowna is a popular tourist destination in the Okanagan region, about 180 miles east of Vancouver. The fire grew one hundredfold in 24 hours, leading the Premier to issue a state of emergency on Friday, Aug. 18. About 34,521 acres had burned as of Sept. 21.  At least 189 properties in the region were damaged or destroyed. The historic Lake Okanagan Resort, a popular tourist destination, was also destroyed.

On Aug. 18, the Lower East Adams Lake fire merged with the Bush Creek East wildfire burning in B.C.’s Shuswap region. Over 112,000 acres have burned as of Sept 21. A rapid damage assessment carried out in safe areas on Aug. 25, has found that the fire destroyed 131 structures and damaged 37 more. This includes 31 homes in the First Nations Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw community in North Shuswap.

There are several evacuation orders still in place and many large wildfires continue to burn across the province.

In Canada’s far north, there are 121 active fires and 296 for the full year. NWT has a population of only 45,000 people. Two-thirds of this northern, near-Arctic territory was displaced by wildfires at least once this summer, including the territory’s capital city, Yellowknife, home to 20,000 people. All evacuees except those from Enterprise have been allowed to return home. Almost 100 million acres have burned in total.

Some of the biggest fires are in the South Slave region, where 42 active fires are currently burning 4.08 million acres. The largest of these is the Wood Buffalo Complex fire discussed under Alberta. The second largest is the Hay River/K’átł’odeeche/Kakisa Fire which had burned 1.24 million acres as of Sept. 20. On Aug. 26, the fire became so severe that even firefighters and essential personnel were added to the list of the 4,000 residents who had evacuated the area on Aug. 13. However, the next day the mayor said only a nearby cabin and travel trailer were burned.

Evacuations have been lifted. It is estimated that the fires will continue to burn until heavy snow falls this winter. There is still extremely active fire activity and the fire is considered out of control. There was significant damage in  Hamlet of Enterprise, Patterson Road and Paradise Gardens. About 90% of Enterprise, home to 120 people, is gone. This includes one of the only gas stations in the southern part of the NWT.

In the North Slave region there are 35 fires burning 2.7 million acres. The largest of these is the Behchoko/Yellowknife fire which was almost 436,000 acres on Sept 21. The fire is now being held and residents were allowed to return to the city.

As of Sept. 21, the province had reported 684 fires to date. The 10-year average to date in Quebec is 414.

There are 13 active fires, with the smallest at 1.1 acres and the largest at 3.06 million acres.

Over 13 million acres of land have burned, compared to the 10-year average of 39,407 acres.