Initial attack activity yesterday was light, with 117 new fires reported. Firefighters are working to suppress and contain 84 large fires across the country, including three new large incidents since yesterday. A total of 26,808 firefighters and support personnel are engaged in nationwide fire activity, including 601 crews, 1,618 engines, and 203 helicopters.
So far this year, 44,256 fires have burned more than 4.9 million acres across the United States, exceeding the 10-year average for both the number of fires and acres burned. Fire activity continues to be elevated in the Northwest Geographic Area, which remains at Preparedness Level 5. The Northern Rockies is at Preparedness Level 4, with eight uncontained large fires and one new emerging large incident since yesterday, the Ant Fire.
Critical to extreme fire weather is expected today across the Inland Northwest and Northern Rockies as strong winds, very low humidity, and hot temperatures create conditions favorable for rapid fire growth. Existing fires may become more active, and any new fire starts could spread quickly.
Why should the public care? Residents and visitors in affected areas should avoid activities that could spark a wildfire, stay alert for changing fire conditions, and be prepared for possible smoke impacts, fire growth, or evacuation notices.
Weather
Widespread critical to extreme conditions will develop across the Inland Northwest by late morning. These conditions are expected to worsen into the afternoon and evening while spreading eastward into the Northern Rockies and the far northern Great Basin. Unseasonably strong wind gusts of 35–50 mph are anticipated in many areas, with minimum RH 5-25%. Localized gusts of 60+ mph are likely over portions of northwest Montana tonight. Under these extreme conditions, many existing fires will display extreme growth, and new ignitions will be extremely resistant to control. Ahead of the strong cold front, a very large expanse of record or near-record heat will affect areas from inland California and the Southwest to the Great Basin and Northern Rockies, with some locations approaching monthly records for August. RH of 3–15% will return across inland California, the Great Basin, southwest Wyoming, and the West Slope. Moderate southwest winds may create elevated conditions in these areas for several hours. Pronounced drying is also expected in northern Arizona and the Four Corners, with minimum RH falling to 7–18%. Very isolated dry thunderstorms are possible for southwest Montana and north central Idaho into the Rockies with wet thunderstorms for central and eastern New Mexico. Cooler- than-average temperatures east of the Mississippi River Valley with areas of strong to severe thunderstorms from the Ohio River Valley to the Southeast.
