as of October 10, 2025 at 7:30 a.m. MDT (on a scale from 1 to 5)
Current hours for the National Fire Information Center are
(MST) 8:00 am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday
208-387-5050
This report is currently updated on Fridays.
Please check the IMSR for more information.
February 6, 2026
Fire activity remains relatively light nationwide, with the National Preparedness Level at 1. While most large fires this week are concentrated in the Southern Area, including grass fires in Florida and Mississippi, wildland firefighters and support personnel are also playing a key role in all-hazard response efforts.
In Georgia, an incident management team is supporting emergency road clearing and public safety operations following the impacts of a significant winter storm in the Southeast. This kind of work highlights the adaptability of the wildland fire workforce and the interagency coordination that supports communities year-round, not just during peak fire activity.
Winter weather continues to shape conditions across much of the country. Heavy snow, strong winds, and dangerously cold temperatures are expected in parts of the East, while much of the West is forecast to trend warmer and drier in the coming weeks. As we look ahead, the February through spring outlook shows areas of elevated fire potential emerging later in the season, particularly across portions of the South and Southeast, a reminder that fire year planning never truly pauses.
No matter the season or hazard, safety remains the foundation of every response. Today’s Six Minutes for Safety topic, Fight Fire Aggressively, Having Provided for Safety First, applies just as much to winter operations and storm response as it does to wildfire. For the public, winter is also a good time to think ahead. If you plan to burn debris, recreate outdoors, or use equipment around dry vegetation during warming and drying periods, check local conditions and restrictions and take steps to prevent unwanted fires before they start.
Fire does not follow a calendar. Whether responding to wildfires, winter storms, or preparing for what comes next, it truly takes all of us working together to keep communities safe.
Are you thinking about a career in wildland fire in 2026, or know someone who might be? Seasonal firefighting, fire support, and leadership positions are now being advertised on USAJOBS, the federal government’s employment portal. Search “firefighter” or “wildland fire” to explore current opportunities and learn more about working in the wildland fire community.
A rapidly strengthening coastal storm will hit the Carolinas and Virginia this weekend with heavy snow near and east of the Piedmont, strong winds, and coastal flooding. This storm will then move out to sea with locally heavier snow possible in Cape Cod, but lighter amounts for the Northeast coast. Very cold air will spread into the Southeast on the backside of this storm, with record low temperatures and dangerously cold wind chills. Very cold temperatures will continue in the Great Lakes and Northeast through the weekend, as well, followed by milder but still below normal temperatures for the Appalachians and East Coast. Milder conditions are expected on the Plains for much of the next week, with periods of light snow on the northern Plains and a chance of rain in the southern Plains to Lower Mississippi Valley late next week. In the West, an upper-level ridge will strengthen next week, with well above normal temperatures and dry conditions. However, some valleys will experience strong inversions, mainly near the Canadian border. Moderate precipitation is also expected into western Washington through the weekend before the ridge strengthens, with lighter precipitation into western Oregon and east into the northern Rockies. A warming trend will continue across Alaska, with periods of precipitation along the southern coast and panhandle. Most precipitation in the lower elevations near the coast will fall as rain, with freezing rain and snow inland. A couple cold fronts will move through Hawai’i into early next week, with the stronger of the two fronts early next week and widespread rain likely.
| Number of new large fires or emergency response * New fires are identified with an asterisk |
0 | States currently reporting large fires: |
| Total number of large fires | 1 | |
| Acres from all active large fires | 4,816 | |
| Fires contained | 1 |
| 2026 (1/1/26-1/30/26) | Fires: 2,909 | Acres: 34,965 |
| 2025 (1/1/25-1/30/25) | Fires: 2,128 | Acres: 64,038 |
| 2024 (1/1/24-1/30/24) | Fires: 901 | Acres: 4,500 |
| 2023 (1/1/23-1/30/23) | Fires: 1,550 | Acres: 11,841 |
| 2022 (1/1/22-1/30/22) | Fires: 1,570 | Acres: 31,156 |
| 2021 (1/1/21-1/30/21) | Fires: 1,663 | Acres: 31,426 |
| 2020 (1/1/20-1/30/20) | Fires: 1,136 | Acres: 16,791 |
| 2019 (1/1/19-1/30/19) | Fires: 651 | Acres: 6,754 |
| 2018 (1/1/18-1/30/18) | Fires: 2,541 | Acres: 45,783 |
| 2017 (1/1/17-1/30/17) | Fires: 1,703 | Acres: 37,877 |
| 2016 (1/1/16-1/30/16) | Fires: 472 | Acres: 9,965 |
| 2016-2025 | Fires: 1,318 | Acres: 23,591 |
Arizona
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Havasu | Lake Havasu Refuges Complex | FWS | 3,868 | 100 | 21 Miles NW of Lake Havasu City, AZ |
Florida
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Lake | National Forests in Florida | USFS | 4,816 | 60 | Seven miles west of Sopchoppy, FL |
