245,446 lightning-started fires and 1,272,076 human-started wildfires
Supplementary notes
Human-caused wildfires are those caused by equipment use, smoking, campfires, railroad, arson, debris burning, children, fireworks, power lines, structures, and miscellaneous fires.
Citation formats
Leading causes of wildfires in the U.S. by season 1992-2012
This statistic shows the leading causes of wildfires in the United States from 1992 to 2012, by season. During that time period, ** percent of human-caused wildfires began in spring, compared to only **** percent of wildfires caused by lightning strikes.
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PNAS. (March 14, 2017). Leading causes of wildfires in the United States from 1992 to 2012, by season [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 19, 2026, from /statistics/943157/leading-causes-wildfires-us-season/
PNAS. "Leading causes of wildfires in the United States from 1992 to 2012, by season." Chart. March 14, 2017. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 19, 2026. /statistics/943157/leading-causes-wildfires-us-season/
PNAS. (2017). Leading causes of wildfires in the United States from 1992 to 2012, by season. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 19, 2026. /statistics/943157/leading-causes-wildfires-us-season/
PNAS. "Leading Causes of Wildfires in The United States from 1992 to 2012, by Season." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 14 Mar 2017, /statistics/943157/leading-causes-wildfires-us-season/
PNAS, Leading causes of wildfires in the United States from 1992 to 2012, by season ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/943157/leading-causes-wildfires-us-season/ (last visited July 19, 2026)
Leading causes of wildfires in the United States from 1992 to 2012, by season [Graph], PNAS, March 14, 2017. [Online]. Available: /statistics/943157/leading-causes-wildfires-us-season/
