Wildfires are posing a medium or high risk to around 2.6 million homes in the US, with 1.2 million facing elevated exposure, according to a new report from CoreLogic. California is by the far the state most at risk, with 1.26 million homes exposed to wildfires – the largest portion of which are in Los Angeles. California is followed by Colorado, Texas, Oregon and Arizona as the worst-affected states. As of July 15, more than 24,000 wildfires had burned across the US in 2024. The report highlighted the growing financial risk of owning property in areas impacted by wildfires, which are increasing in frequency and intensity as a result of climate change. It examined the problem of how to insure homes in danger areas, and listed measures property owners could take to reduce risk. “Wildfires continue to pose a threat to property and livelihoods across the US,” CoreLogic said. “The events of last year and activity to date highlight the importance of insurance and risk management in safeguarding communities against such catastrophic events.” The report coincides with a study by the World Resources Institute (WRI), which found wildfires are becoming more widespread and burning at least twice as much tree cover today as they did two decades ago. “Climate change is one of the major drivers behind increasing fire activity,” the WRI said. “Extreme heat waves are already five times more likely today than they were 150 years ago, and are expected to become even more frequent as the planet continues to warm.”
