Firefighters are working to suppress and contain 88 large fires across the country, including 21 new large incidents since yesterday. 23,065 firefighters and support personnel are engaged in nationwide fire activity, including 511 crews, 1,297 engines, 141 helicopters, and 28 complex incident management teams.
We learned last night that firefighter Nathan Matthews, 43, of Lincoln, Nebraska, died Friday from injuries sustained while responding to the Knowles Fire in western Colorado on June 27. Nate had been receiving medical care for burn injuries sustained during the incident. Nate was a dedicated member of the Rifle Helitack crew out of Colorado and was one of five firefighters involved in a burnover during initial attack operations. Three firefighters – Emily Barker, Nick Hutcherson, and Sydney Watson – died at the scene. Please keep Nate’s family and the wildland fire community in your thoughts. Information regarding memorial services for Nate will be released at a later date.
So far this year, 41,984 fires have burned more than 4 million acres across the United States. Yesterday was another day of explosive lightning activity throughout the West, with the Northwest Geographic Area reporting yet another 15 large incidents. The National Interagency Coordination Center lists current fuels and fire behavior advisories.
*Note: Due to a technical issue, some of the statistics on this site may be temporarily incorrect. We apologize for the delayed update and correct the issue as soon as possible.
Weather
Elevated to locally critical fire weather conditions are expected near and east of the Cascades and northern Sierra, where gusty west to southwest winds, low relative humidity, and recent lightning activity will support new fire starts and large fire growth. Gusty west winds will also develop across the central Idaho Mountains and much of the Northern Rockies as showers and thunderstorms continue across the Southwest, Great Basin, and into the Northern Rockies, bringing thunderstorm activity to many areas that have recently experienced hot and dry conditions. Farther east, breezy conditions and low relative humidity and hot temperatures will support elevated fire weather conditions across the southern High Plains, where isolated mixed wet and dry thunderstorms may lead to new fire starts. In Minnesota, a weak cold front will bring locally breezy conditions followed by isolated to scattered thunderstorms tonight. Heavy rain and possible flash flooding are also expected across portions of the southern Atlantic Coastal States and Middle Mississippi Valley. Farther south, isolated thunderstorms may reach southern Florida, where dry fuels remain receptive to new ignitions.
Daily statistics
Number of new large fires or emergency response * New fires are identified with an asterisk
