Wildfires

Wildfires of 1981

The Interagency Fire Perimeter History holds 1,076 mapped wildfires from 1981, covering 1,802,417 acres. 213 fires reached 1,000 acres or more in at least one record; the largest was the Dune Lake Fire in Alaska, at 147,501 acres. For 1981 the record is what forests, parks and agencies mapped and kept, not every fire that burned.

Fires of 1,000 acres or more
213
Perimeters on file
1,076

1980 1982

Map

Every fire of 1981 with a page here, sized by the acres burned. Select one for its perimeter and record.

Largest fires213

Wildfires of 1,000 acres or more, largest first. The size is the reported final size where a fire report survives, else the burned area MTBS mapped, else the area inside the final perimeter.

FireStateAcresStartCause
Dune Lake FireAK147,501
Richfield East FireID74,192
Tatalina FireAK73,412
Split Lake FireID70,686
Ani-Se 25 FireAK57,594
Rr MP304 FireID45,145
Unnamed FireID43,644
Ani-Se 30 FireAK43,378
Tolovana FireAK35,436
Rr MP298 FireID35,254
Atlas Peak FireCA33,606
Tal Nw 38 FireAK30,077
Little Oak Creek FireUT27,525
Cow Mtn FireCA25,664
S. Chekika FireFL22,237
Unnamed FireID21,272
Browns Glc FireID20,957
Bolio FireAK20,418
Monument FireID19,864
Clay Springs FireUT19,046
Picabo FireID18,937
Oat FireCA17,787
S.hayes Ba FireFL17,266
Sugar Ck FireID16,648
Todatonten FireAK16,365
Wilson Camp FireAK14,885
Langes Peak FireCA14,448
Meiss FireCA14,126
Blacks Ck FireID13,229
Indian Creek FireID12,882
Rattlesnake FireID12,435
Basalt FireID12,322
Barber FireCA12,163
Scotts FireOR12,062
Wild Hog 5 FireFL11,990
Hus W 5 FireAK11,847
Riddle FireOR11,802
East Gowen FireID11,011
Dry Fork FireID10,928
Forest Lk FireWY10,579
Aggie Creek FireAK10,250
Pigtailbut FireID9,653
Unnamed FireID9,366
Unnamed FireCA9,182
Unnamed FireID8,694
Oak_moutain FireCA8,688
Macks Canyon FireNV8,389
Dawson FireCA8,000
Looper FireFL7,616
Assist #59 FireCA7,311
Watch Cr FireOR7,297
Coyote FireOR7,023
Elephant FireCA6,852
Goose Lake FireID6,810
Wendell Well FireID6,759
Ingalls (Assist #12) FireCA6,697
Unnamed FireID6,639
Double O FireOR6,442
Sage Hen FireID6,423
Bonanza FireAK6,178
Unnamed FireID6,005
Park Line' FireFL6,001
Unnamed FireNV5,957
Mud Sp Ck FireID5,772
Jakes Ck FireID5,386
Little Valley FireNV5,142
Mulchatna FireAK5,099
Pleasantku FireID5,001
Mcg Wnw 65 FireAK4,978
SK East 2 FireID4,950
Grizzly FireCA4,811
Sulphur Bank FireCA4,568
Lime FireOR4,508
Ditto Ck FireID4,496
Lillygrade FireID4,416
Sulphur FireWY4,373
Outside Origin #2 FireCA4,325
Two Ocean FireWY4,313
Bryans Run FireID4,283
2 Mile Yukon FireAK4,224
Bowns Ck FireID4,187
Colton FireCA4,051
Snd Dune W 3 FireAK4,038
Witch FireWY3,965
Blitzen FireOR3,878
Wrights FireCA3,843
MILEPOST84 FireID3,831
Horse Valley FireCA3,830
Hinson NE FireFL3,767
Water Canyon FireID3,752
Gamboa #1 FireCA3,694
Meeker Ridge FireID3,647
Pauline FireID3,641
Unnamed FireID3,625
Unnamed FireID3,465
Hot Creek FireID3,391
Wild Hog 3 FireFL3,314
Pot Hole FireID3,273
Sinkerbutt FireID3,261
Rathburn FireID3,213
Swall FireCA3,160
Fire 141007AK3,151
Washburn Ranch FireCA3,110
Five Mi Ck FireID3,101
Coyote FireNV3,083
Box K FireNV3,036
Esau Canyon FireOR2,953
Wild Hog 1 FireFL2,912
Hepworth FireID2,824
Tipanut FireID2,815
Turner 14 FireFL2,808
Mcg S 60 FireAK2,799
Sucker Ck FireID2,721
Bald Mtn FireNV2,683
Morena Avenue FireCA2,648
Monopoly Creek FireAK2,613
Zollezi Lane FireNV2,611
Unnamed FireNV2,507
Hammer FireID2,503
Horsebutte FireID2,431
Lone Cedar FireID2,421
Gannett FireFL2,416
Blackhawk FireCA2,361
Roche FireCA2,316
Rey FireCA2,257
Two Lakes FireAK2,247
Concours FireCA2,233
Brogan FireOR2,204
Unnamed FireCA2,193
Walcott 3 FireID2,166
Blair Ne 6 FireAK2,152
Willows FireID2,123
Twenty Six FireID2,092
Muldoon FireID2,006
Beulah FireOR1,958
Blodgett Pass FireID1,948
Mystic FireWY1,925
Root #2 FireCA1,873
Herbert FireCA1,867
Raft River FireID1,851
Gay FireCA1,843
Silver Creek FireID1,817
Owyhee FireOR1,780
Lava Lake FireID1,767
Hard Luck FireAK1,765
Lightning #20 (Webber) FireCA1,764
Turner 4 FireFL1,754
Center FireCA1,740
Reche FireCA1,733
Flat FireCA1,730
Spruce (Assist) FireCA1,710
Joerger Series FireCA1,676
Lamberton FireID1,665
South Cut FireGA1,664
Juniper Sp FireID1,648
Little Deer FireFL1,631
Sucker Springs FireOR1,623
Saval FireNV1,615
Unnamed FireNV1,604
Charcoalck FireID1,582
Gully Rnch FireNV1,545
Quinlan FireCA1,486
Poppy FireCA1,466
Alvord FireOR1,464
Eisenman FireNV1,436
Squaw Hill FireCO1,418
Done It FireID1,406
North W-1 FireID1,405
Hunter FireCA1,398
Davis FireCA1,376
Clover FireID1,372
Holbrook FireID1,370
Cascade FireWY1,370
Tadpole Lake FireID1,353
Dexter FireCA1,350
Nellie Dent FireCA1,318
Astringent FireWY1,314
E Gate 1 FireCO1,302
Success FireCO1,296
Cottenwood FireCA1,279
Johnny Gulch FireMT1,276
Springs FireCA1,267
Divide #2 FireID1,262
Sawmill Creek FireID1,259
Chalk Creek FireID1,254
Ridge FireAZ1,242
Black Rock FireID1,203
Delano FireNV1,201
Mud Spring FireOR1,182
Unnamed FireCA1,180
Continental FireWY1,179
Gonzales Dump FireCA1,156
Micheal FireCA1,154
Unnamed FireNV1,153
Stony River FireAK1,141
Venator FireOR1,129
Unnamed FireCA1,124
Vogler FireOR1,120
Culp FireCA1,113
Saddle FireOR1,091
Alley FireFL1,089
Rock Creek FireCA1,084
Water Hollow FireUT1,080
Friant FireCA1,079
Burnt Canyon FireID1,078
Artesian FireOR1,072
Bissel Ck FireID1,072
Wild Cat FireNV1,071
Cox Saddle FireID1,055
Drip Rock FireCO1,037
11 Mi Rd 10 FireFL1,034
Bone Creek FireOR1,014
Unnamed FireNV1,008

Prescribed fires6

Planned burns of 1,000 acres or more that MTBS or the perimeter history recorded.

FireStateAcresStartCause
Rey Prescribed FireCA6,315
Larson-Signorelli Prescribed FireCA2,559
Roney Prescribed FireCA1,397
Cojo-Jalam Prescribed FireCA1,338
Branquinho Prescribed FireCA1,224
King Prescribed FireCA1,127

By state

StateFires of 1,000+ acresTheir acres
Idaho72627,914
Alaska23501,549
California51248,686
Florida1485,834
Oregon1971,602
Utah347,651
Nevada1644,042
Wyoming829,017
Colorado45,051
Georgia11,664
Montana11,276
Arizona11,242

By year

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014

Before 2014, back to 1850

2010s 2013 2012 2011 2010

2000s 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

1990s 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990

1980s 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980

1970s 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970

1960s 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960

1950s 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950

1940s 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940

1930s 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930

1920s 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920

1910s 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910

1900s 1909 1908 1907 1906 1905 1903 1902 1901 1900

1890s 1899 1898 1896 1895 1894 1893 1892 1891 1890

1880s 1889 1888 1886 1885 1880

1870s 1878 1870

1860s 1860

1850s 1850

Sources

Perimeters from the National Interagency Fire Center’s Interagency Fire Perimeter History, compiled from the Forest Service, BLM, BIA, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, the Alaska Interagency Fire Center and CAL FIRE. Records before 2014 were joined by this site: a fire report to the burned area its MTBS identifier names, a perimeter to the burned area it lies in when the names or the sizes agree.