Forecasters Say Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois Will Probably Dodge the Summer’s Big Disaster

A Wild Start to 2025

This year has been wild. We've had a historic flood, an ice storm, and lots of severe weather here in the tri-state and it's only April! Scientists have laid most of the blame on La NIna, the climate pattern where cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures develop in the Pacific Ocean and cause shifts in global weather. And now, Accuweather has just released its prediction about the long, hot summer and potential for widespread fires.

2025 US Wildfire Predictions

In an article released today, Accuweather long-range forecasters predicted that between 7 and 9 million acres will burn across the United States in 2025, which is above average. In 2024, wildfires did $1.8 billion in damage. And according to the National Interagency Fire Center 2024 report, there were 64,897 US wildfires reported in 2024, compared to to 56,580 reported in 2023. Reported wildfires consumed 8,924,884 acres, compared to 2,693,910 acres in 2023.

Spring Wildfire Risks Already Rising

Though wildfires usually peak in late summer and fall, springtime fires are a concern too, especially in a year like this. Currently, the southern Plains, interior Southwest, Gulf Coast states, and parts of the Eastern Seaboard are facing "elevated to extreme" wildfire risks this spring amid drought conditions, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Paul Pastelok.

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The West Gets a Brief Break (For Now)

As far as springtime fires go, interestingly enough, the West Coast and the northern Rockies aren't at as big of a risk because of warm, moist air and predicted storms in the region. But things will probably ramp up by summer.

Read More: Why Do Farmers Burn Fields?

What About the Tri-State?

In Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois, we deal with a lot of natural disasters, and while wildfires aren’t as common as, say, tornadoes, they’re still a threat.

According to the University of Kentucky, we experience two fire seasons: one in the early spring (mid-February to early May) and another in late fall (October through December). This is when we tend to see drought conditions, as well as an uptick in camping.

Humans Spark Most Wildfires

And interestingly enough, according to the Western Fire Chiefs Association, 90% of all wildfires in the United States are caused by humans.

“The combination of rising temperatures, worsening droughts, and changing precipitation patterns continues to increase the risk of wildfires in America,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said.

The Bigger Picture

In an article on Climate.gov about billion-dollar climate disasters, government experts said there are several reasons for these natural disasters. "A major driver of increased costs of extreme weather is the increase in population and material wealth over the last several decades." They go on to say that there are several potential explanations for these trends, including increases in exposure (more assets at risk), increases in vulnerability (how much damage something like high winds can cause in a given area), and increases in the frequency and intensity of some types of extreme events due to human-caused climate change."

What Can We Do to Prevent Wildfires?

When it all boils down, humans are at the root of the problems we are facing. And as an individual, it can not only feel overwhelming but downright impossible to even make a dent in reversing climate change. But since over 90% of wildfires are started because of humans lighting the spark, it's pretty easy to get those under control.

As Smokey the Bear said, "Only YOU can prevent forest fires."

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