Wildfires Disrupt Camping More Than Ever, Especially on the West Coast

The Dyrt, the leading camping app, reports a significant rise in disruptions due to wildfires and natural disasters. In 2023, 18% of campers faced interruptions, tripling the 6% reported in 2019.

The increase in disruptions, from 11% in 2020 and 2021 to 18% in 2022 and 2023, is most severe in the West Coast states—California, Oregon, and Washington. On the West Coast, one-third of campers (33.1%) experienced issues, compared to 13.1% nationwide. In the Pacific Northwest, disruptions affected 42% of campers.

The Dyrt CEO Kevin Long highlighted the challenge of planning around these unpredictable events and the difficulty of securing last-minute reservations. The U.S. Forest Service has warned of another severe fire season, with the highest response level in effect.

To assist campers, The Dyrt offers Alerts for booking sold-out campgrounds and a Free Camping Collection with 5,000 locations for spontaneous visits.