AccuWeather's wildfire forecast is out and we're sounding the alarm. Lincoln Riddle spoke with our long-range expert to break down where the fire danger is already rising and where conditions could escalate fast.
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00:00The risk for wildfires is growing fast across the United States.
00:05As drought rapidly expands in multiple parts of the country, dry landscapes are turning
00:09into fuel.
00:10And as spring and summer temperatures climb, the heat will only add to the threat.
00:15There's other things, trigger mechanisms like wind and things like that, yes, but drought
00:20coverage expanding pretty rapidly right now is not a good sign going forward into the
00:25summer and spring season.
00:27AccuWeather is forecasting 7 to 9 million acres will be scorched in wildfires in 2025.
00:3460,000 to 75,000 fires are expected in total.
00:38This spring, the fire risk is highest in the southwest and southern plains, where drought
00:43and frequent wind events are creating potent fire conditions.
00:46The fire danger is also elevated along the eastern seaboard, where last year's hurricanes
00:51left behind dry debris that's now fueling the threat.
00:55Florida just continues to be dry, not getting a lot of rainfall there.
00:59Still look for the southern Appalachians with all that timber on the ground from Helene last
01:03year.
01:04We've already seen a big fire in parts of South Carolina and North Carolina as well.
01:08Heading into summer, heat and drought will fuel fast-growing wildfire conditions in the
01:12mountain west.
01:13In these areas, lightning from dry thunderstorms could also be a concern.
01:17The northern Rockies, the central Rockies, the interior northwest, lots of growth from this
01:22recent winter and spring season, that will dry out.
01:25And my biggest concern, deep forests, more acreage burned going forward later on in the
01:30year.
01:31While the wildfire risk will remain very high in the southwest during the summer, monsoon
01:36season will reduce the threat as the season progresses.
01:39For the latest on wildfire activity around the country, keep it right here on AccuWeather.
01:43I'm Lincoln Riddle.