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Wildfires are becoming increasingly destructive across the U.S., as the country is seeing in 2024. Firefighters were battling large blazes in several states from California to North Dakota in early October 2024, including fires burning near homes and communities.

Research shows wildfires are up to four times larger and three times more frequent than they were in the 1980s and '90s, with some consuming hundreds of thousands of acres in a single blaze.

Lightning strikes are one cause, but the majority of wildfires that threaten communities are sparked by human activities.

Metal from cars or mowers dragging on the ground can spark fires. So can power lines touching trees. Officials confirmed on Oct. 2 that a broken power line started the deadly 2023 Maui fire that destroyed the town of Lahaina, Hawaii. California's largest fire in 2024 started when a man pushed a burning car into a ravine near Chico. The fire destroyed more than 700 homes and buildings.

Although the number of fires in 2024 has not been unusually high, the acreage burned has far surpassed the 10-year average, displacing thousands of people, destroying homes and straining firefighting resources.

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