• 192 million — number of acres in the U.S. National Forest System1
  • 6.9 million — number of acres of private and federal land burned by wildfires in 2002 2
  • 2.4 million — number of acres of national forest land burned by wildfires in 20023
  • 980,000 — average number of acres of national forest land burned by wildfires annually from 1993 to 20024
  • 648,768 — number of acres of national forest land burned by wildfires between Jan. 1, 2003, and Aug. 20, 20035
  • 85 — percentage of wildfire-prone land adjacent to communities that is private, state, or tribal land (as opposed to federal)6
  • 5 — percentage of President Bush’s proposed funding for the National Fire Plan that would be devoted to fighting fire on private, state, or tribal land (the remaining 95 percent would go to firefighting on federal land) 7
  • less than 1 — percentage of national forest roadless areas adjacent to communities at risk from wildfire8
  • $1.4 billion — amount the U.S. Forest Service spent on firefighting in 20029
  • $773 million — amount the U.S. Forest Service estimates it will spend on firefighting in 200310
  • $418 million — amount Congress approved to be spent on firefighting in 200311

Sources:
1. U.S. Forest Service, Land Areas Report, National and Regional Areas Summary (PDF), 30 Sept 2002.
2. National Interagency Fire Center, National Fire News, Wildland Fire Season 2002 at a Glance.
3. National Interagency Coordination Center, 2002 Statistics and Summary Report (PDF).
4. National Interagency Coordination Center, 2002 Statistics and Summary Report (PDF).
5. National Interagency Fire Center, Year to Date Reported Fires and Acres (PDF), 20 Aug 2003.
6. The Wilderness Society, Communities at Risk from Wildfire: How Much Is on Federal Land? (PDF), 11 Mar 2003.
7. The Wilderness Society, Bush Wildfire Bill Fails To Protect Communities At Risk From Wildfire (PDF), 19 May 2003.
8. The Wilderness Society, Roadless Areas Pose No Threat to Communities at Risk from Wildfire (PDF).
9. Billings Gazette, Ted Monoson, 06 Aug 2003.
10. Billings Gazette, Ted Monoson, 06 Aug 2003.
11. Billings Gazette, Ted Monoson, 06 Aug 2003.