Severe Summer Weather & Heat Wave Relief
June 24, 2026
National Preparedness Month: Preparing Your Team for Potential Natural Disasters
August 15, 2026July 17, 2026
Wildfires increasingly threaten businesses, schools, infrastructure, and entire communities. In 2025, 77,850 wildfires burned more than 5.1 million acres across the United States and destroyed 18,385 structures, including 496 commercial properties, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The January 2025 Los Angeles fires further demonstrated how quickly extreme winds and dry conditions can devastate densely populated areas.
Heat, drought, wind, and dry vegetation all increase wildfire risk. Climate change is also contributing to longer, more intense fire seasons in many regions.
People cause most US wildfires through activities such as debris burning, unattended campfires, discarded cigarettes, equipment use, and arson. Lightning and damaged power lines can also spark fires.
Even when flames remain far away, wildfires can disrupt operations through evacuations, power outages, poor air quality, transportation delays, and employee displacement.
So, how can your organization help employees and team members who may be impacted by wildfires? It all begins with understanding the risks wildfires pose.
The Dangers of Wildfires
Wildfires pose a severe and growing threat to public safety, infrastructure, and the environment. Beyond the immediate danger of flames, they generate intense heat, thick smoke, and fast-moving embers that can ignite structures miles away from the fire’s origin.
You might believe your area is safe from wildfires, but under the right conditions, wildfires can ignite almost anywhere. While they’re most frequent in states like California, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Oklahoma, Montana, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, and New Mexico, no region is entirely immune.
Every year, wildfires affect millions of Americans in multiple ways, including:
- Damaging or destroying homes, businesses, and infrastructure in their path
- Threatening health and safety, as both flames and smoke can cause serious illness or even death
- Polluting the air with smoke, ash, and soot, harming not only human health but also contributing to broader environmental challenges
Wildfires are more than a regional concern; they’re a growing national threat that demands awareness and preparation.
2025 US Wildfire Statistics
According to the National Interagency Coordination Center’s 2025 annual report:
- Total fires: The United States recorded 77,850 wildfires in 2025, up from 64,897 in 2024.
- Acres burned: Wildfires burned 5,131,474 acres, down from 8,924,884 acres in 2024.
- Compared with the previous 10-year average, the number of fires was about 25% above, while the acreage burned was approximately 32% below.
- Structures destroyed: Wildfires destroyed 18,385 structures, including 12,773 residential properties, 5,116 minor structures, and 496 commercial properties.
2026 US Wildfires Statistics to Date
As of July 14, 2026, according to the National Interagency Fire Center:
- Total wildfires: 39,354 fires have occurred nationwide.
- Acres burned: Wildfires have burned 3,616,860 acres, compared with 2,570,619 acres by the same date in 2025.
- Active large fires: Fire crews are responding to 46 uncontained large fires nationwide.
- New large fires: Five new large incidents were reported.
- Firefighting resources: Approximately 16,990 personnel are currently assigned to active incidents.
The National Interagency Fire Center updates these figures frequently as new fires emerge and existing incidents are contained.
How Establishing a Disaster Relief Fund With Emergency Assistance Foundation Will Help Provide Aid to Team Members Affected by Wildfires
If you’re interested in ensuring your team members are well taken care of but unsure about how to launch an employee relief fund, we’re here to help!
In the aftermath of severe weather, a disaster, or personal hardship, your organization needs the ability to help impacted team members rebuild and recover from the potentially devastating impact. A relief fund can boost morale and enable your employees to donate and contribute directly to supporting their fellow team members. Establishing a relief fund can alleviate the stress that disasters and hardships put on those within your organization, allowing them to stay focused on recovering from the event.
If your organization is interested in launching a relief fund, consider establishing a fund with EAF today. As a financial first responder, we’re resourceful and fearless in ensuring that financial assistance reaches individuals in need, no matter the unique circumstances involved.
By establishing a fund with us today, your organization can support team members affected by wildfires and other hardships. Relief fund grants can help individuals impacted by difficult times pull through and start on the path toward recovery. If you’d like to learn more about how your organization can help your team during crises, you can review additional information about how a fund works or contact us today. We look forward to helping you make a difference for those who need it most!
Wildfire Preparation Tips to Share with Team Members
While completely preventing wildfires is impossible, there are things that you can do to reduce the risk of causing a wildfire and prepare in case one does occur. Here are some tips to share with your team members about how to prepare for wildfires:
- Pay Attention to Warnings and Alerts - The first tip to share with team members for preparing for wildfires is to understand and recognize warnings and alerts. They can get automatic alerts through the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA), but they can also sign up for alerts from local community sources. Additionally, remind them to pay attention to the local news so they stay up to date on any potential wildfire threats and know when they need to take action.
- Make a Plan - Next, urge team members to make a plan so they are prepared in the event of a wildfire. This is especially important for individuals living in areas that are prone to wildfires. Their plan should include coming up with multiple evacuation routes, each family member making bags of essentials for a quick escape, getting documents in order, and planning for any other specific needs, like pet needs.
- Build an Emergency Kit - After making a plan, remind team members to build an emergency kit so they have everything they need if they are ordered to evacuate. It’s also important for team members to keep their cars completely fueled, so they don’t run into any issues with getting out if they are ordered to evacuate.
- Know Evacuation Zones - Finally, stress the importance of team members knowing their evacuation zones, so they understand when it’s time to leave and seek safety. Local authorities will assist with any evacuation, so remind team members to listen to their instructions. They should evacuate as soon as their zone is called.
