National Fire News

National Preparedness Level 4

as of September 4, 2026 at 7:30 a.m. MDT (on a scale from 1 to 5)

Current hours for the National Interagency Fire Center are
(MST) 8:00 am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday

This report is currently updated daily. 
Please check the IMSR for more information.

September 4, 2026

Yesterday, 92 new fires were reported nationwide, including three new large fires. Firefighters are currently working to contain 77 large fires, with 18,401 firefighters and support personnel assigned to incidents nationwide. 

Due to improving fire weather conditions across multiple geographic areas, increased availability of most nationally shared resource types, and a significant decline in resource ordering through the National Interagency Coordination Center, the National Preparedness Level decreased to four (PL 4), effective September 4 at 7:30 a.m. MDT, after 48 consecutive days at national PL 5. 

The National Multiagency Coordinating Group (NMAC), composed of wildland fire representatives from each agency at NIFC, establishes the national preparedness level. Factors they consider include number of IMTs committed, total number of resources committed, how many large fires are burning, how many geographic areas have activity, and the time of year, plus any unusual circumstances identified by this group of seasoned fire managers. Explore PL information.

So far in 2026, firefighters have responded to 52,939 wildfires that have burned more than 8.2 million acres across the United States. 

Weather

High-risk conditions continue across parts of Wyoming and eastern Montana due to continuing hot, dry, and breezy conditions, with temperatures reaching 90-100°F, RH lowering to 8-20%, and winds gusts of 20-40mph. Moderate to high-risk conditions also continue across the Southern Plains and Mississippi Valley again today with highs reaching 100°F and locally breezy winds, extending over Oklahoma and Kansas amid RH of 25-30%. Dry and breezy winds, albeit cooler, continue over parts of the Great Basin maintain moderate conditions there. Across the Pacific Northwest, western Northern Rockies, and Northern California, large fire potential continues to decrease as showers with cooler temperatures spread across the area. Showers and thunderstorms continue across the Southwest. National Predictive Services Outlook (7-Day Significant Fire Potential Outlook) 

Daily statistics
Number of new large fires or emergency response 
* New fires are identified with an asterisk
3 States currently reporting large fires:
Total number of large fires 77
Acres from all active fires 3,746,691
Fires contained 1
Year-to-date statistics
2026 (1/1/26-9/04/26) Fires: 52,939 Acres: 8,296,949
2025 (1/1/25-9/04/25) Fires: 47,538 Acres: 4,200,503
2024 (1/1/24-9/04/24) Fires: 34,781 Acres: 6,518,033
2023 (1/1/23-9/04/23) Fires: 40,221 Acres: 2,089,674
2022 (1/1/22-9/04/22) Fires: 48,851 Acres: 6,212,242
2021 (1/1/21-9/04/21) Fires: 43,354 Acres: 5,054,253
2020 (1/1/20-9/04/20) Fires: 40,641 Acres: 4,506,348
2019 (1/1/19-9/04/19) Fires: 34,446 Acres: 4,101,339
2018 (1/1/18-9/04/18) Fires: 45,984 Acres: 6,969,916
2017 (1/1/17-9/04/17) Fires: 47,094 Acres: 7,802,597
2016 (1/1/16-9/04/16) Fires: 41,359 Acres: 4,684,007
10-year average Year-to-Date
2016-2025 Fires: Acres:
Current Wildfires
Fires: 2
Acres: 1,036
New: 0
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
Mount Emma Grand Canyon National Park NPS 368 50 Sixty miles northwest of South Rim Grand Canyon NP, AZ  
Paddy Creek Fort Apache Agency BIA 668 63 22 miles southeast of White River, AZ  
Fires: 1
Acres: 499
New: 0
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
West Glover Ouachita National Forest USFS 499 75    
Fires: 4
Acres: 72,341
New: 0
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
MP18     7,601 95 Two miles north of Hoopa, CA  
Plaskett Los Padres National Forest USFS 29,702 19 34 miles South of Big Sur, CA 805-257-9891
S 1 Vya Northern California District BLM 9,692 92 Three miles north of Vya, NV  
Timber Los Padres National Forest USFS 25,346 23 Approximately 5 miles southeast of Big Sur, California 805-257-9891
Fires: 3
Acres: 116,795
New: 0
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
Aspen Acres Custer County CNTY 102,004 82 10 miles northwest of Rye, CO 719-269-8500
Elk Grand Mesa USFS 7,257 73 7 miles northwest of Lake City, Colorado 970-299-5357
Willow Pike and San Isabel National Forest USFS 7,534 80 6 miles west of Leadville, CO 719-486-0749
Fires: 1
Acres: 820
New: 0
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
Main Trail Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge FWS 820 79 Twelve miles southeast of Savannah, GA  
Fires: 12
Acres: 40,795
New: 0
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
Cascade Nez Perce - Clearwater National Forests USFS 6,800 50 Nineteen miles east of Lowell, ID 208-935-6134
Crooked Boise National Forest USFS 9,956 27 14 miles northeast of Idaho City Idaho, along the North Fork of the Boise River 208-264-4469
Doublesprings Salmon-Challis National Forest USFS 1,779 35 Thirty-one miles northwest of Mackay, ID  
Dudley Idaho Panhandle National Forest USFS 800 88 Five miles north of Wallace Idaho 208-557-8813
Grotto Nez Perce - Clearwater National Forests USFS 3,849 0 Twenty miles east of Lowell, ID  
Moose Mountain Nez Perce - Clearwater National Forests USFS 5,579 8 Approximately 4 miles north of Kelly Forks Camp Ground 208-935-6134
Parker Lake Idaho Panhandle National Forest USFS 1,429 0 Long Creek Canyon 20 miles NW of Bonners Ferry, ID in the Kootenai River Valley. 208-295-5495
Porcupine Idaho Panhandle National Forest USFS 180 0 Approximately 7 miles NE of Clark Fork, ID. 208-557-8813
Silver Idaho Panhandle National Forest USFS 2,545 0 Southeast side of Silver Dollar Peak near Roman Nose 208-266-5956
Three Links Nez Perce - Clearwater National Forests USFS 790 0 Twenty miles east of Lowell, ID  
Upper Smith Idaho Panhandle National Forest USFS 4,808 42 Six miles West of Porthill, Idaho 208-295-5495
Wolf Creek Nez Perce - Clearwater National Forests USFS 2,280 25 Nineteen miles east of Lowell, ID 208-634-0820
Fires: 3
Acres: 62,652
New: 0
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
Bear Trap Superior National Forest USFS 30,804 97 Five miles south of Lac la Croix, MN  
Sioux Superior National Forest USFS 6,833 97 Twenty miles northwest of Ely, MN  
Thumb Superior National Forest USFS 25,015 97 Five miles south of Lac la Croix, MN  
Fires: 13
Acres: 80,815
New: 3
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
* Ayers Pond Miles City Field Office BLM 565 20 Twenty-five miles southeast of Terry, MT  
Bobcat Lakes Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest USFS 10,850 61 12 miles east of Wisdom 406-420-1966
Camp Creek Flathead National Forest USFS 9,637 0 Twenty-five miles northeast of Seeley Lake, MT 520-282-0436
Cooper Bitterroot National Forest USFS 310 0 Twenty-two miles southwest of Conner, MT  
Moose Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest USFS 6,003 15 24 miles southwest of Philipsburg (406) 468-1914
Nature Grove Bitterroot National Forest USFS 1,422 0 13 miles east of Hamilton south of Highway 38 406-420-3096
* Pine Creek Miles City Field Office BLM 2,000 50 Thirty miles southeast of Terry, MT  
Sand Creek Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest USFS 35,433 21 7.5 miles southeast of Wisdom, Montana (406) 420-1966
Scimitar Bitterroot National Forest USFS 334 0 Twenty-nine miles southwest of Conner, MT  
Silvertip Flathead National Forest USFS 7,280 15 Thirty miles northeast of Condon, MT 406-758-5376
Skillet Flathead National Forest USFS 3,414 82 15 miles west of Olney, MT 406-758-5200
Skull Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest USFS 67 0 Five miles east of Wisdom, MT  
* Snow Custer County ST 3,500 0 Thirty miles east of Miles City, MT  
Fires: 2
Acres: 51,550
New: 0
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
Calico Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest USFS 18,319 98 Twenty miles southeast of McDermitt, NV  
McConnell Winnemucca District Office BLM 33,231 81 3 miles east of Orovada, NV 775-432-0815
Fires: 4
Acres: 16,133
New: 0
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
Frijoles Santa Fe National Forest USFS 15,483 62 Steep terrain 5 miles west of Sierra Mosca, 3 miles southeast of Cundiyo, NM. The fire is within the boundaries of the Pecos Wilderness Area. (505) 407-5343
Mogote Ridge Carson National Forest USFS 112 70 Mogote Ridge 505-423-3001
Sunset Lincoln National Forest USFS 145 80 Five miles southwest of Arabela, NM  
Whiskey Cibola National Forest USFS 393 19 Mountainair Ranger District - Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands 505-346-3894
Fires: 5
Acres: 3,094
New: 0
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
Alexander Trail Oklahoma Division of Forestry ST 1,600 55 Five miles west of Nashoba, OK  
Crumb Creek Oklahoma Division of Forestry ST 260 75 Two miles northwest of Stanley, OK  
Railroad South Anadarko Agency BIA 515 40 Three miles east of Indiahoma, OK  
Wildhorse Creek Oklahoma Division of Forestry ST 111 90 One mile north of Moyers, OK  
Wright Okmulgee Field Office BIA 608 80 Five miles southwest of Dustin, OK  
Fires: 9
Acres: 1,199,129
New: 0
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
Austin Mt. Hood National Forest USFS 12,610 19 25 Miles SE of Estacada, OR 541-982-5802
Big Grass Vale District BLM 578,637 94 25 Miles SW of JORDAN VALLEY, OR 208-295-5503
Grasshopper Mt. Hood National Forest USFS 93,993 84 14 miles SW of Dufur, OR 541-982-5802
Hagen Umatilla National Forest USFS 61,408 54 26 Miles East of Pendleton, OR 541-970-7128
McCully Wallowa-Whitman National Forest USFS 13,479 8 22 miles northwest of Baker City, Oregon 541-712-8905
Paradise Umatilla National Forest USFS 9,639 22 18 Miles E of Milton-Freewater, Oregon 541-970-7128
Rowe Creek Complex Prineville District BLM 373,927 99 10 Miles S of Fossil, OR 541-800-1280
The Narrows Mt. Hood National Forest USFS 302 27 Fifteen miles southeast of Estacada, OR  
Wrights Spring Fremont-Winema National Forest USFS 55,134 95 2 Miles W of Sprague River OR 541-712-4438
Fires: 1
Acres: 90,400
New: 0
Contained: 1
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
Ross Texas A & M Forest Service ST 90,400 38 Approximately 1 miles west of Palo Pinto, Texas 979-255-0591
Live Oak Texas A & M Forest Service ST 502 100 38 Miles southeast of San Angelo, TX 979-255-0591
Fires: 2
Acres: 9,765
New: 0
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
Slough Canyon Uintah and Ouray Agency BIA 4,774 35 41 Miles E of Price, UT 435-459-0935
Tom Creek     4,991 85 Ten miles south of Dugway, UT  
Fires: 14
Acres: 536,323
New: 0
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
Border 2 North Cascades National Park NPS 8,043 72 20 Miles NE of Marblemount, WA  
Electric Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest USFS 622 17 7 Miles N of Marblemount, WA 360-800-5889
Goat Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest USFS 794 0 15 Miles N of Ronald, WA  
High Lava Gifford Pinchot National Forest USFS 2,894 44 11 Miles NW of Stabler, WA  
Kaiser Canyon Colville Agency BIA 138,293 98 One mile south of Nespelem, WA 509-800-8123
King Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest USFS 2,991 0 7 Miles NE of Snoqualmie Pass, WA (509) 213-5294
Little Giant Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest USFS 170,784 73 30 miles NW of Leavenworth, WA 509-776-6953
Luna North Cascades National Park NPS 7,648 34 10 Miles North of Newhalem, WA  
Ptarmigan Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest USFS 25,166 73 20 Miles NW of Mazama, WA 509-215-8214
Sinlahekin Northeast Region-Department of Natural Resources ST 166,151 38 12 Miles W of Tonasket, WA 509-287-4942
Sisi Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest USFS 2,244 9 10 miles northwest of Stehekin, WA 509-776-6953
Three Queens Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest USFS 9,364 8 6 Miles E of Snoqualmie Pass, WA 509-213-5294
Thunder Creek North Cascades National Park NPS 950 0 Thirteen miles southeast of Newhalem, WA  
Wonderland Complex Mount Rainier National Park NPS 379 0 9 Miles SE of Buckley, WA 509-348-7539