Devastating Wildfires of 2020 in the Western United States

Wildfires ravaged the West in 2020, especially in California, where fires burned twice the state’s previous acreage record.

According to Cal Fire, upwards of 8,600 fires burned more than 4 million acres in California, driven by dry, windy conditions and record-breaking high temperatures that fueled flames for weeks.

Across the West, more than 10 million acres burned, with Oregon and Washington experiencing particularly intense wildfires. Tragically, dozens of individuals lost their lives in the fires in 2020. Furthermore, Stanford researchers estimated that 1,200 to 3,000 additional deaths occurred in California due to smoke inhalation-related illnesses.

Editor’s note: This gallery contains graphic images. Viewer discretion is advised.

A man evacuates his home as flames from the Blue Ridge Fire approach in Chino Hills, California, on Tuesday, October 27, 2020.

Firefighters conduct a backfire operation in Chino Hills on October 27, 2020. Myung J Chun/Los Angeles Times/Shutterstock

A firefighter uses a hose as the Silverado Fire approaches near Irvine, California. Mike Blake/Reuters

Firefighter Raymond Vasquez battles the Silverado Fire in Irvine on Monday, October 26, 2020.

Across various states, countless images depict the severely impacted areas. In Colorado, for example, flames rise from mountain ridges near Granby as wildfires raged relentlessly.