Wildfires Charred Record 10M Acres In U.S.

For the first time in U.S. history, wildfires charred more than 10 million acres across the nation in 2015, according to data from the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho.

That’s roughly the size of Connecticut and Massachusetts combined. At 10,125,149 acres burned, it’s the first time the 10 million acre mark has been topped. The previous record was set in 2006 at 9,873,745 acres.

This year’s amount is about 4 million more than average, the center announced Tuesday. Fires in Alaska made up about half of the acreage burned. And get this, nine of the 10 worst years for acres burned have occurred since 2000.

ABC’s Jim Ryan joined us from Dallas.