Firefighters battle a blaze in Sylmar, California, in 2019. Overall, the acreage burned by wildfires in the continental United States declined in 2019 compared to prior years.
By Thomas Frank, E&E NewsOriginally published by E&E NewsWildfire destruction last year was at its lowest level in the U.S.
since 2004, ending several years marked by conflagrations that killed scores of people and caused billions of dollars in damage.The number of acres burned in 2019 was low nationwide, including in California, where the threat of wildfire prompted utilities to cut off power to millions of people in October and November.Wildfires burned 890,000 hectares (2.2 million acres) last year in the mainland U.S., a sharp drop from the previous two years when
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