Forests, Fire and You
The health and sustainability of the South’s forests are dependent on fire management. State forestry agencies are responsible for protecting 94% of the total land area in the South from wildfire.
Wildfire in the South
The South has the highest number of wildfires per year of any region in the United States with an average of 68,000 wildfires burning a total of approximately 938,000 acres per year. In 2006, the South had more than 50 percent of all wildfires reported in the nation.
- Number of fires by year (2002-2006) for geographic areas of the United States (Source: Fire in the South 2)
More than 100 million acres in the South are classified as having moderate to extreme potential for wildfire occurrence. To address the significant wildfire problem in the South, SGSF conducted a Southern Wildfire Risk Assessment. Fire in the South 2 presents comprehensive information on southern wildfire situation, explains the objectives of the Southern Wildfire Risk Assessment, and demonstrates through case studies some of its practical application.
