Western US is fending off more fires before they start—and still getting hit by its biggest blazes yet

PHYSorg
Apr 30, 2026, 9:00 am183 ptsTrendingTop
The number of wildfires burning in the Western United States each year dropped roughly 28% over the past three decades, even as annual burned area and damage from wildfires have soared. A decline in fires accidentally sparked by humans accounts for over 40% of the overall trend, according to a new study.

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