The history and landscape of the United States have been profoundly changed by wildfires, which left behind stories of destruction and resilience. The Great Chicago Fire (1871) is remembered as a devastating urban fire, but the country’s forests have seen even larger blazes. The largest U.S. wildfires consumed millions of acres due to factors like drought, lightning and human activity. The list below shows the 20 largest wildfires in the United States, ranked from most to least acres burned. The entries provide a snapshot of the impact and magnitude of these huge fires.
1. Wildfires across North Carolina and South Carolina in 1898
This series of fires burned approximately 3,000,000 acres in North Carolina and South Carolina. It was one of the most destructive fires to ever occur in U.S. History. The fire killed 14, destroyed many homes, and caused other damage.
2. Great Fire of 2010
This forest fire, also known as Big Burn, burned about 3,000,000 acres in two days across northern Idaho, western Montana, and northeastern Washington. It was one of the most deadly wildfires to ever occur in U.S. History, with 86 deaths. The cause was not known, but the new construction of a railway was most likely to blame.
3. Great Michigan Fire
The Great Michigan Fire scorched more than 2,5 million acres in the entire state of Michigan during October 1871. The cause was never identified.
4. Great Fire, Oregon, 1845
The wildfire that caused $925,000 of damage burned over 1.5 million acres.
5. Taylor Complex Fire 2004
The Taylor Complex Fire in Alaska burned 1.3 million acres, the largest in U.S. recent history. Lightning strikes ignited a series of smaller fires that caused significant damage to Alaska’s forests.
6. Peshtigo Fire (1871)
In Wisconsin, the Peshtigo Fire destroyed approximately 1.2 millions acres. More than 1,200 people died in the fire, and entire towns were destroyed.
7. Ruby Fire (1940).
In Alaska in 1940, 1 250,000 acres were burned.
8. Kateel River No. Kateel River No. 5 (1957).
Although it wasn’t the largest wildfire to burn in Alaska in 1957, the Kateel River Fire burned 1,16 million acres.
9. Smokehouse Creek Fire ( 2024)
On February 26, in Hutchinson County, the Smokehouse Creek Fire erupted and became Texas’ largest ever wildfire. The fire burned over 1,000,000 acres and broke previous records.
10. The fire started on 16 August 2020.
The fire took 86 day to be contained. Seven counties were affected, including Trinity and Mendocino. Over 1 million acres of land were burned.
11. Thumb Fire (1981)
Thumb Fire, which raged ten years after the devastating 1881 fire that killed hundreds, ravaged in 1881. This fire burned over 1,000,000 acres.
12. Unalakleet, 1941
: This fire burned about 1,000,000 acres.
13. Dixie Fire (2021)
In July 2021, the Dixie Fire began in Butte County in Northern California and burned over 1,000,000 acres. It was one of California’s largest wildfires. This fire destroyed many structures in Butte County, Plumas County and Lassen county.
14. East Amarillo Complex 2006
The East Amarillo Complex Fire in Texas Panhandle scorched more than 900,000 acreage. Significant property losses were caused by the fire.
15. Little Black River Fire, 1950
: This fire was about 890 000 acres.
16. Lime Complex (2022)
In Alaska, the Lime Complex Fire was caused by lightning. The fire burned 865,00 acres.
17. Miramichi Fire (1855)
This is one of largest fires in history, consuming more than three million acres. Fire spread from Canada to Maine and burned about 832,000 acres in Maine.
18. Solstice Complex 2004
The Alaskan fire that burned around 812,000 acres.
19. Holanada Fire (1969),
This fire also burned 83,000 acres in Alaska.
20. NW Oklahoma Complex (2017)
This fire burned 779, 000 acres and killed thousands of animals. This article was created using AI, and then fact-checked by HowStuffWorks editors.