Fire Information - Wildland Fire Statistics
Wildland Fire Season 2004

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There were three significant features of the 2004 fire season:

1. The cancellation of the large airtanker contracts in May,
2. Alaska's most severe fire season on record, and
3. Hurricane activity which required a significant activation of national resources.

Fire season started early with large fire activity experienced in January and February in Oklahoma, Maryland, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Mississippi. Warm temperatures prevailed throughout most of the country as Spring progressed. In fact, it was the warmest Spring on record across the contiguous United States, including Alaska.

Airtanker Contracts Cancelled

The fire potential was high in many states when the U.S.D.A. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior announced that they are terminating the contract for 33 large airtankers due to concerns over the airworthiness of the aircraft and public safety on May 10, 2004. Public concern was very high on the heels of this announcement, but the wildland agencies responded by activating the military C-130 aircraft to be flown as Modular Airborn Firefighting Systems (MAFFS), and increasing the number of Single Engine Airtankers (SEATS) and helicopters to meet the demand for aerial firefighting resources. These aircraft were prioritized for initial action and provided a highly mobile and effective force that proved to be very successful.

Alaska's Record-Breaking Fire Season

The 2004 season was highly unusual for the state of Alaska. First of all, it was one of the warmest and driest summers on record with Fairbanks and Anchorage recording their hottest summer ever. During a two-day period on June 14 and 15, approximately 17,000 lightning strikes were recorded statewide. These thunderstorms sparked hundreds of fires and by the end of June 800,000 acres had burned.

In early July, Alaska's fire activity was grabbing national attention. For the first time, fire engines and shower and catering units were ordered from the lower 48 states to help in firefighting efforts. Intense activity continued, and on July 15, 9,022 lightning strikes started 11 new blazes; which set the state's record for the most lightning strikes in one day.

The hot, dry weather continued into September when 90 fires were still active throughout the state. Later in the month, the weather moderated bringing seasonal wetter and cooler conditions and decreasing fire activity. As the season came to a close for Alaska, more than six million acres had burned, which broke the 1957 record for the most acres burned in a season. In 1957, just over five million acres burned that year.

Hurricane Relief Support

Four hurricanes slammed into southern states, with Florida especially hard hit. Hurricane Charley was the first in mid-August, followed by hurricane's Frances, Ivan and Jeanne. Several Presidential Disaster Declarations were issued, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was mobilized. Numerous relief agencies, including the wildland agencies and the military, were also requested. Altogether, 16 Type 1 incident management teams, along with four area command teams, 13 buying teams, several national and regional Type 2 incident management teams, numerous crews, aircraft and other miscellaneous resources, were sent to assist with relief efforts in various locations in the South.

In the End

When the season was over, the final number of acres burned was well above the 10-year average, but one state accounted for about 85 to 90 percent of the final total. Of the 6.8 million acres burned, more than six million acres were from Alaska. Three significant weather patterns took place to mitigate the fire season in the lower 48. In late March adn early April a powerful storm system brought substantial rains to the eastern half of the Southwest and Rocky Mountain Areas, delaying the start of fire season in those areas. Second, the monsoon season began in early July and continued to bring moisture over the Southwest, Rocky Mountain, and Eastern Great Basin areas. And finally, above-normal rainfall fell across Washington, Oregon, Idaho and western Montana during the 2004 fire season.