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... Read more
Articles by Wilderness Society
The Wilderness Society, based in Washington, D.C., has been striving since 1935 to protect America's wilderness through science, advocacy, and education.