Megafires more likely to occur on private land than public forests
CBS America · New
CBS America
New
More than 44,000 fires have burned nearly 4 million acres across the U.S. so far in 2025, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, but only a handful have been megafires. A new study found that these kinds of fires are more likely to occur on industrial, private land, rather than in publicly-owned forests.
Breakdown
- More than 44,000 fires have burned nearly 4 million acres across the US this year.
- Megafires, defined as fires exceeding 10,000 hectares, are more likely on private industrial land. 28s
- Dense, homogenous forests with high ladder fuels on private land contribute to severe fires. 57s
- The number of trees per acre is the most important driver of fire severity, especially under extreme weather. 2m 24s
- Forest management strategies like thinning and prescribed burns are effective in reducing megafire risk. 2m 40s