The Largest Wildfire in U.S. History, Based on Acreage Burned

A series of wildfires ravaged approximately 3 million acres across North and South Carolina, making it one of the worst fires in U.S. history. It killed 14 people and destroyed homes and more.

Also known as the Big Burn, this forest fire consumed about 3 million acres across northeastern Washington, northern Idaho, and western Montana across two days. Starting in August 1910, it became one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history, claiming 86 lives.

There was no official cause, but a new railway construction was the most likely culprit.

The Great Michigan Fire burned more than 2.5 million acres across the state in October 1871. There was never a cause identified.

This wildfire burned 1.5 million acres, causing about $925,000 in damages.

In 2004, the Taylor Complex Fire burned approximately 1.3 million acres in Alaska, making it the largest wildfire in recent U.S. history. The fire was a combination of several smaller, destructive fires ignited by lightning strikes, significantly impacting Alaska's interior forests.

The Peshtigo Fire devastated approximately 1.2 million acres in Wisconsin. The blaze claimed more than 1,200 lives, with entire towns incinerated.

In 1940 in Alaska, 1,250,000 acres burned.

It's not the biggest wildfire in Alaska, but the Kateel River fire burned 1.16 million acres in 1957.

The Smokehouse Creek Fire ignited on February 26, 2024, in Hutchinson County and quickly became the largest wildfire in Texas history. Burning over 1 million acres, the fire surpassed previous records.

This fire began on August 16, 2020. It took 86 days to contain it. It affected seven counties, including Trinity, Mendocino and Colusa. More than 1 million acres burned.

Ten years after a devastating fire, Thumb Fire raged in 1881, killing hundreds. The fire burned 1 million acres.

This fire destroyed about 1 million acres.

The Dixie Fire ignited in July 2021 in Northern California's Butte County and burned nearly 1 million acres, becoming one of the largest wildfires in California's history. The fire destroyed numerous structures and significantly impacted communities in Butte, Plumas and Lassen counties.

In 2006, the East Amarillo Complex Fire scorched over 900,000 acres in the Texas Panhandle. The fire resulted in significant property loss.

This fire burned about 890,000 acres.

The Lime Complex fire was a series of fires in Alaska caused by lightning. It burned 865,000 acres.

The Miramichi Fire is one of the largest fires, burning more than 3 million acres. The fire spread across Canada and Maine, with about 832,000 acres burned in the U.S. state.

This Alaska fire burned about 812,000 acres.

Also in Alaska, this fire burned 803,000 acres.

This fire killed thousands of livestock and burned 779,000 acres.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.