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M098PQBBZ0R5FAQYFKP3P8DW)
[USAFacts]([link removed])
Wildfire destruction by the numbers
Wildfires have burned more than 230 million acres nationwide since 1983=E2=
=80=94 that=E2=80=99s more than twice the area of California. They=E2=80=99=
re burning more land on average ever since federal fire agency tracking beg=
an in the 1980s. [How many wildfires happen in the US]([link removed]
/articles/how-much-damage-do-wildfires-do-in-the-us/?utm_content=3Dsection1=
_text), and how have they changed over time?
-
Wildfires burned an average of over 7 million acres of land each year of th=
e last decade.=E2=80=AFHowever, last year, wildfires burned 5.1 million acr=
es, down 43% from 2024=E2=80=99s total (8.9 million).=E2=80=AF
=C2=A0
-
Wildfires burned in every state last year, but they burned the most acres i=
n Alaska (1.01 million). California had the second-most acres destroyed: 50=
5,994.
=C2=A0
-
However, looking at acres burned per 10,000 acres in a state tells a differ=
ent story. After adjusting for state sizes, Oklahoma had the most destructi=
on: 68 acres burned for every 10,000. Florida had the second-most (55.5 bur=
ned acres per 10,000), while Washington had the third (54.1 acres).
[Wildfire acreage per every 10,00 acres]([link removed]
much-damage-do-wildfires-do-in-the-us/?utm_content=3Dsection1_chart)
-
Costs for containing and extinguishing fires, known as fire suppression, ha=
ve risen even when adjusting for inflation. In 2001, suppression costs were=
less than $2.0 billion (adjusted to 2024 dollars). Annual costs have avera=
ged $3.8 billion in the five most recent years of data.
=C2=A0
-
In 2025, wildfires damaged a reported 18,385 structures. Nearly 90% of thes=
e buildings, about 16,324, were in Southern California.
[See the data]([link removed]
o-in-the-us/?utm_content=3Dsection1_button)
[USAFacts]([link removed])
=E2=80=8B=E2=80=8BShare the factsforward this newsletter to a friend!
[USAFacts]([link removed])
How much does your state pay for Medicaid?
Medicaid provides free or low-cost health coverage through both federal and=
state funding, but not every state splits the check equally. In fiscal yea=
r 2024, states covered 35.2% of [Medicaid costs]([link removed]
rs/what-share-of-medicaid-costs-do-states-pay/country/united-states/?utm_co=
ntent=3Dsection2_text) on average, while the federal government picked up t=
he remaining 64.8%. Last year=E2=80=99s passage of the One Big Beautiful Bi=
ll Act could change those numbers.
-
In FY 2024, Massachusetts paid the largest share of Medicaid costs of any s=
tate (43.8%), followed by Wyoming (43.3%) and New Hampshire (43.2%). The sm=
allest state share was New Mexico=E2=80=99s 21.9%.
[Share of Medicaid costs per state government]([link removed]
/what-share-of-medicaid-costs-do-states-pay/country/united-states/?utm_cont=
ent=3Dsection2_chart)
-
A state=E2=80=99s share of Medicaid spending is based on a federal formula =
tied to per-person income. The idea is to provide more federal support to s=
tates with average per-person incomes below the national average. This is c=
alled the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP for short).
=C2=A0
-
The FMAP is just a baseline. For example, states that expanded Medicaid und=
er the Affordable Care Act receive an enhanced federal match (90%) for newl=
y eligible adults.
=C2=A0
-
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act limits how states can fund and structure the=
ir Medicaid programs. This includes:
-
ending the temporary 5-percentage-point FMAP bonus for states that expanded=
Medicaid after 2021;
=C2=A0
-
reducing or eliminating federal reimbursement for certain services, includi=
ng emergency care for undocumented immigrants;
=C2=A0
-
and requiring states to implement work requirements and cost-sharing for so=
me adult recipients.
=C2=A0
-
In July, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said it was deferri=
ng more than $1 billion in Medicaid payments to [California]([link removed]
ts.org/articles/california-and-medicaid-what-the-data-says/?utm_content=3Ds=
ection2_text) and [Minnesota]([link removed]
edicaid-what-the-data-says/?utm_content=3Dsection2_text) while it investiga=
tes allegations of fraud.
=C2=A0
-
Learn more about Medicaid in [this video with Steve Ballmer]([link removed]
ts.org/just-the-facts/do-you-qualify/health/?utm_content=3Dsection2_text).
=E2=80=8B
[See the data]([link removed]
-states-pay/country/united-states/?utm_content=3Dsection2_button)
[USAFacts]([link removed])
Data behind the news
Tens of thousands of people are without power after Tropical Storm LaLa wro=
ught extensive damage across Hawaii. [Here=E2=80=99s the latest data](https=
://usafacts.org/answers/how-active-is-the-latest-hurricane-season/country/u=
nited-states/?utm_content=3Ddbtn_text) on 2026 tropical storms and hurrican=
es.
The nation's unemployment rate was 4.1% last month, down 0.1 percentage poi=
nt from June. See unemployment data for the nation and your state [here](ht=
tps://usafacts.org/answers/what-is-the-unemployment-rate/country/united-sta=
tes/?utm_content=3Ddbtn_text).
The [weekly fact quiz]([link removed]
=3Ddbtn_text) is ready for you!
[USAFacts]([link removed])
One last fact
[More than a third of middle class wealth is in real estate]([link removed]
ts.org/answers/how-much-wealth-does-the-american-middle-class-have/country/=
united-states/?utm_content=3Donelastfact_chart)
The [middle class]([link removed]
erican-middle-class-have/country/united-states/?utm_content=3Donelastfact_t=
ext) had $13.6 trillion in household wealth in the first quarter of 2026, 8=
% of the nation=E2=80=99s total. That=E2=80=99s an average of $503,300 per =
middle-class household.
Over half of middle-class wealth was in real estate (35.9%) and retirement =
accounts (19.8%).
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