Yesterday, 108 new fires were reported nationwide, including four new large fires. Firefighters are currently working to contain 93 large fires, with 22,434 firefighters and support personnel assigned to incidents nationwide.
So far in 2026, firefighters have responded to 52,253 wildfires that have burned more than 8.2 million acres across the United States, 126% of the 10-year average for fires and 166% for acres burned. There are fuels and fire behavior advisories in place for North Central Texas, Southwest Idaho, and the Pacific Northwest. That said, yesterday, the Northwest geographic area went down to preparedness level 4 after 44 days at PL5, indicating a modest decrease in overall fire activity in a region that has been having an extremely challenging summer. Nationally, the preparedness level is still 5.
While many wildfires in the western United States are caused by lightning strikes, human accidents are also a prime culprit. Some people walk away without putting out their campfire, while others light fireworks around dry brush and grass. These behaviors are dangerous and unlawful. You can make a difference and reduce unwanted wildland fires by reporting careless and illegal behavior. If you see something suspicious, please call the nearest law enforcement office and help protect out wildlands.
Weather
Breezy southerly winds persist across much of the central and southern Plains, especially central/western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle where gusts up to 35 mph will create elevated to locally critical conditions amid very hot temperatures and low RH. Locally breezy winds and low RH generally 10-20% will also create elevated conditions across parts of the northern Great Basin into northeast California and southeastern Oregon. Strong westerly winds into the northern Plains with occasional gusts exceeding 40 mph across parts of eastern Montana into North Dakota. More robust monsoon moisture plume into Arizona and western New Mexico extending into much of the northern and eastern Great Basin and greater Four Corners and West Slope, resulting in scattered to numerous mixed wet/dry thunderstorms. Isolated to scatted mixed wet/dry thunderstorms east of the Divide in Colorado, southern Wyoming extending into the central Plains. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms develop over parts of central and south Texas, becoming more numerous along the Gulf Coast, Florida and southeast Atlantic coast.
