Data Source: California Air Resources Board, California Greenhouse Gas Inventory - California Wildfire Emissions Estimates
Analysis by CEC Economics
Highlights
- There were 284 wildfires reported in California, totaling approximately 342,000 acres burned, in 2023. These wildfires released an estimated 9.1 MMTCO2e33 in 2023, which is similar to 2022. 2023 was below the multi-decade average of burned wildland acreage and CO2 emissions from wildfires.
- Particulate matter (PM) emissions from wildfires were also low in 2023 compared to the historical average. In 2023, wildfire emissions from PM2.5 were 97,000 short tons, 14% higher than the 85,000 short tons observed in 2022 but significantly lower (-91%) than the 1.075 million short tons in 2021. Wildfire emissions from PM10 were 114,000 short tons in 2023, or 13% higher than 2022’s 101,000 short tons but are otherwise significantly lower (-91%) than the 1.268 million short tons in 2021. However, elevated temperatures mean that fire season is expanding and continues to pose a risk to Californians. In fact, this year has already been much worse than 2023. As of September 2024, California wildfires had already burned three times as many acres compared to all of 2023.34 The need to consider metrics beyond acreage, such as lives lost and environmental damage, is particularly important.
33 Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are associated with fuel consumption in both the flaming and smoldering phases of a wildfire event.
34 “California wildfires have already burned three times as many acres compared to all of 2023.” Fortune. September 11, 2024. Available at: https://fortune.com/2024/09/11/california-wildfires-2023-vs-2024/