National Fire News

National Preparedness Level 5

as of July 18, 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.

August 29, 2026

Yesterday, 100 new fires were reported nationwide, including four new large fires. Firefighters are currently working to contain 92 large fires, with 21,371 firefighters and support personnel assigned to incidents nationwide. 

So far in 2026, firefighters have responded to 51,774 wildfires that have burned more than 8.1 million acres across the United States, 126% of the 10-year average for fires and 165% for acres burned. Fire activity in the Great Basin geographic area is increasing, with heavy initial attack. A new fuels and fire behavior advisory has been issued for North Central Texas due to drought. 

Wildland fire response does not pause for holidays or weekends. Firefighters, dispatchers, aviation crews, and support staff remain on duty to respond to new starts and ongoing incidents. Periods of recreation and travel can increase the risk of human-caused fires, making prevention and awareness especially important. Staying fire-safe helps protect firefighters, communities, and the places where people gather to enjoy time outdoors.   

Weather

Breezy westerly winds of 15–25 mph, with gusts of 25–35 mph, are expected across much of the Intermountain West and northern Rockies. Gusts up to 45–50 mph are possible across parts of the northern Rockies, southern Nevada, Utah, northwest Colorado, and Wyoming. RH will generally range from 5–25%, with locally higher values across Nevada and northern Utah. RH of 10–20% will persist across inland California and the northern Great Basin, while 12–20% RH is expected from north Texas into Oklahoma. Isolated to scattered mixed wet/dry thunderstorms are expected across the central and eastern Great Basin into the central Rockies, particularly from eastern Nevada and southwest Utah into northwest Colorado and southern Wyoming. Scattered mixed wet/dry thunderstorms are also expected across the Southwest, primarily in Arizona and west of the Divide in New Mexico. Scattered thunderstorms, some potentially strong to severe, are forecast along and ahead of a cold front from the northern Plains into the Upper Midwest. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms are expected across Florida and the northern Gulf Coast, while most of the eastern U.S. remains dry with near- to slightly-below- normal temperatures. 

Daily statistics
Number of new large fires or emergency response


* New fires are identified with an asterisk
2 States currently reporting large fires:
Total number of large fires 4
Acres from all active fires 1,018
Fires contained 1
Year-to-date statistics
2026 (1/1/26-8/29/26) Fires: 51,774 Acres: 8,107,724
2025 (1/1/25-8/29/25) Fires: 46,503 Acres: 4,124,657
2024 (1/1/24-8/29/24) Fires: 33,484 Acres: 6,304,475
2023 (1/1/23-8/29/23) Fires: 39,176 Acres: 1,990,111
2022 (1/1/22-8/29/22) Fires: 48,057 Acres: 7,330,847
2021 (1/1/21-8/29/21) Fires: 42,423 Acres: 4,903,822
2020 (1/1/20-8/29/20) Fires: 39,613 Acres: 3,952,925
2019 (1/1/19-8/29/19) Fires: 33,234 Acres: 4,042,018
2018 (1/1/18-8/29/18) Fires: 43,448 Acres: 6,523,046
2017 (1/1/17-8/29/17) Fires: 45,981 Acres: 6,851,908
2016 (1/1/16-8/29/16) Fires: 39,977 Acres: 4,513,647
10-year average Year-to-Date
2016-2025 Fires: Acres:
Current Wildfires
Fires: 1
Acres: 176
New: 0
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
Cooper Bitterroot National Forest USFS 176 0 Twenty-two miles southwest of Conner, MT
Fires: 1
Acres: 181
New: 1
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
* Whiskey Cibola National Forest USFS 181 0 Mountainair Ranger District - Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands 505-346-3894
Fires: 1
Acres: 300
New: 1
Contained: 1
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
* Whitetail Texas A & M Forest Service ST 300 20 Approximately 13 miles west of Rocksprings, Texas 979-255-0591
Corky Texas A & M Forest Service ST 657 100 Approximately 8 miles northwest of Canton, Texas 979-255-0591
Fires: 1
Acres: 361
New: 0
Contained: 0
Fire Unit Agency Size % Ctn Location Information
Teddy Valley Southwest Area ST 361 40 Eight miles southwest of Beaver, UT