US states with the most wildfire declarations
California has the most fire-related FEMA declarations, with 297, ahead of Texas (270) and Washington (146). Nationwide, fire is the single largest incident category with 1,742 declarations, reflecting both major wildfire disasters and the many Fire Management Assistance (FM) grants FEMA issues to help states fight large fires. Only states with at least one fire declaration are listed.
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2. Data as of June 2026.
| Rank | State | Fire declarations | Total declarations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 297 | 395 |
| 2 | Texas | 270 | 388 |
| 3 | Washington | 146 | 214 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 138 | 258 |
| 5 | Oregon | 121 | 166 |
| 6 | Nevada | 84 | 110 |
| 7 | Arizona | 82 | 120 |
| 8 | Colorado | 82 | 108 |
| 9 | New Mexico | 75 | 125 |
| 10 | Florida | 69 | 188 |
| 11 | Montana | 67 | 112 |
| 12 | Utah | 37 | 56 |
| 13 | Alaska | 29 | 94 |
| 14 | Hawaii | 28 | 71 |
| 15 | Wyoming | 28 | 45 |
| 16 | South Dakota | 27 | 96 |
| 17 | Idaho | 25 | 59 |
| 18 | Kansas | 14 | 93 |
| 19 | Georgia | 14 | 81 |
| 20 | Tennessee | 11 | 97 |
| 21 | North Carolina | 10 | 85 |
| 22 | Minnesota | 10 | 81 |
| 23 | Alabama | 9 | 102 |
| 24 | Nebraska | 9 | 86 |
| 25 | Kentucky | 8 | 98 |
| 26 | Virginia | 8 | 77 |
| 27 | South Carolina | 7 | 51 |
| 28 | Louisiana | 5 | 110 |
| 29 | New York | 4 | 118 |
| 30 | North Dakota | 4 | 75 |
| 31 | New Jersey | 4 | 59 |
| 32 | Massachusetts | 4 | 58 |
| 33 | West Virginia | 3 | 84 |
| 34 | Maine | 2 | 71 |
| 35 | New Hampshire | 2 | 63 |
| 36 | Missouri | 1 | 85 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | 1 | 55 |
| 38 | Michigan | 1 | 45 |
| 39 | Connecticut | 1 | 43 |
| 40 | Rhode Island | 1 | 31 |
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2. Data as of June 2026.
FEMA categorises wildfire response under the "Fire" incident type, which combines Fire Management Assistance grants with larger fire disasters. For more on regional wildfire patterns, see which states have the most disasters, or compare with the flood and hurricane rankings.
Frequently asked questions
Which US state has the most wildfire disaster declarations?
California has the most fire-related FEMA declarations, with 297, ahead of Texas (270) and Washington (146).
How many wildfire declarations are there nationwide?
FEMA records 1,742 distinct fire-related declarations nationally — the single largest incident-type category, driven largely by Fire Management Assistance (FM) grants.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by FEMA. Factual public-data summary for general information only.
Last updated: 2026-06-18