This morning the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group at NIFC has moved to National Preparedness Level 4. This increase is due to significant wildland fire activity once again increasing in multiple Geographic Areas. Hurricane Helene all hazard-incident response is also substantial and will increase in the coming days and weeks. The National Interagency Coordination Center Predictive Services forecast highlights the possibility for serious fire weather conditions through at least mid-October for much of the country. The potential for significant incidents to emerge in multiple Geographic Areas indicates that resource demands will continue or increase.
Right now, 28 large active wildfires are being managed with full suppression strategies nationwide. These wildfires have burned 1,034,892 acres. Nearly 10,500 wildland firefighters and support personnel are assigned to incidents, including 14 complex incident management teams, 184 crews, 518 engines, and 81 helicopters.
Weather
A strong, dry cold front will move through the Northwest during the day and into the northern Rockies, northern Great Basin, and northern California overnight. Strong west to southwesterly winds of 20-40 mph with gusts 35- 60 mph will develop amid relative humidity of 8-25% from southeast Oregon and northeast California through the northern/central Great Basin into southern Montana and western Wyoming. The strongest winds are expected across the northern Great Basin. Overnight, strong downslope westerly winds will develop with the passage of the cold front near and east of the Divide in Montana and Wyoming into the western Dakotas with gusts up to 70 mph possible. Poor overnight humidity recovery of 20-40% is expected in the northern Great Basin into the western Dakotas, as well. Widespread elevated to critical conditions are expected with the winds. Farther south, hot temperatures up to 110oF will continue across the lower elevations of California into the Southwest and southern Great Basin with minimum humidity of 5-15% and poor overnight recovery below 30% for mid-slopes and ridges. Mild and very dry conditions will continue in the Upper Great Lakes with minimum relative humidity as low as 20%, but winds will be light overall. Farther south and east, isolated showers are expected in the Appalachians to the Northeast with scattered thunderstorms along the Gulf Coast. Most of the rain in the West will be west of the Cascades in northwest Oregon and western Washington, although scattered showers will occur in the Idaho Panhandle overnight.
Daily statistics
Number of new large fires or emergency response * New fires are identified with an asterisk
5
States currently reporting large fires:
Total number of active large fires Total does not include individual fires within complexes.
