June-December 2016:

“Western and Southern states experienced an active wildfire season with over 5.0 million acres burned nationally. Most notable was the firestorm that impacted Gatlinburg, Tennessee with hurricane-force wind gusts in extremely dry conditions creating volatile wildfire behavior. These wildfires destroyed nearly 2,500 structures and caused 14 fatalities. The drought conditions in many areas of the Southeast and California worsened the wildfire potential.”  — NOAA: Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters

Impact:

• CPI-Adjusted Estimated Cost: $2.5 billion
• Deaths: 21

Related Resources:

• Wildfire, Wildlands, and People: Understanding and Preparing for Wildfire in the Wildland-Urban Interface
• Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statistics
• Forest Fire/Wildfire Protection
• Fires and Wildfires Information Guide
• HSDL In Focus: Wildfires
• HSDL search results for Wildfire and Wildland Urban Interface

Photo: Devastating wildfires raged in and around Great Smoky Mountain National Park in November 2016. (National Park Service)