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.
January 23, 2026
National fire activity remains relatively low across much of the country, with the nation at Preparedness Level 1. Over the past week, firefighters responded to 339 new fires, most of which were caught early during initial attack. Fourteen new large fires were reported, and eleven have already been contained, a reminder that early detection and coordinated response continue to matter, even during a quieter time of year.
While winter weather dominates headlines in many regions, fire activity has been more persistent across parts of the Southern Area, where dry fuels, grass fires and periodic wind events continue to drive new starts. Elsewhere, activity remains scattered and manageable, with no incident management teams currently committed and no fires being managed under a strategy other than full suppression.
January is often a quieter moment in the national fire year, but it is also an important time for readiness work across the wildland fire community. Training, equipment maintenance and reflection on lessons learned continue behind the scenes. Fire does not follow a calendar, and steady preparedness throughout the year supports safer, more effective response when conditions change.
For the public, winter is also a good time to pause and prepare. Many human-caused fires still start during the winter months, often tied to debris burning, equipment use or outdoor activities. Paying attention to local restrictions, weather conditions and basic fire safety helps protect communities and keeps firefighters available for when they are needed most.
Fire year 2026 is underway. Even during a slower week, the work of readiness continues, because when conditions change, the wildland fire community is ready to respond.
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 learn more.
A strong winter storm will track through the southern tier of the country this weekend into Monday. Heavy snow is expected in the Southwest, with widespread precipitation from the southern Plains to the Southeast, Appalachians, and Mid-Atlantic, but much of Florida and South Texas will see little precipitation from this storm. A major ice storm is expected from central Texas eastward into the Tennessee Valley, southern Appalachians, Carolinas, and Virginia. To the north of the icing, heavy snow is expected from the Texas panhandle and southern Plains through the Mid-Mississippi and Ohio Valleys to the Mid-Atlantic. Very cold air will also spread across much of the eastern half of the U.S. behind the storm, with dangerously cold temperatures for the Midwest. A fast-moving cold front will reinforce the cold air mid to late next week, but precipitation will be light for the Great Lakes and Northeast, falling as snow. In the West, the strong upper-level ridge of the past ten days will break down as a strong cold front moves southward from Canada. While this front will break the inversions in the West, little precipitation is expected with the front. Overall dry conditions will continue for the northern two-thirds of the West into next mid-next week as the ridge rebuilds in a weakened form. A weak storm may bring light precipitation to northern California, the Northwest, and northern Rockies late next week. Colder conditions are expected across much of Alaska by early next week, but not nearly as cold as early this month. A wetter pattern will continue through the weekend across Hawai’i due to a slow-moving cold front, followed by drier conditions and moderate trade winds next week.
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Number of new large fires or emergency response * New fires are identified with an asterisk |
9 | States currently reporting large fires: |
| Total number of large fires | 3 | |
| Acres from all active large fires | 15,575 | |
| Fires contained | 7 |
| 2026 (1/1/26-1/23/26) | Fires: 2,394 | Acres: 31,355 |
| 2025 (1/1/25-1/23/25) | Fires: 1,248 | Acres: 59,260 |
| 2024 (1/1/24-1/23/24) | Fires: 704 | Acres: 3,276 |
| 2023 (1/1/23-1/23/23) | Fires: 1,296 | Acres: 10,847 |
| 2022 (1/1/22-1/23/22) | Fires: 1,032 | Acres: 21,377 |
| 2021 (1/1/21-1/23/21) | Fires: 1,388 | Acres: 23,546 |
| 2020 (1/1/20-1/23/20) | Fires: 739 | Acres: 14,891 |
| 2019 (1/1/19-1/23/19) | Fires: 451 | Acres: 3,786 |
| 2018 (1/1/18-1/23/18) | Fires: 1,780 | Acres: 22,614 |
| 2017 (1/1/17-1/23/17) | Fires: 1,002 | Acres: 23,454 |
| 2016 (1/1/16-1/23/16) | Fires: 316 | Acres: 1,573 |
| 2016-2025 | Fires: 913 | Acres: 15,315 |
Georgia
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| * Hwy 125 | Georgia Forestry Commission | ST | 191 | 97 | Four miles northwest of Nashville, GA | |
| * Blackston | Georgia Forestry Commission | ST | 218 | 100 |
Kentucky
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| * Clay Fork Road | Kentucky Division of Forestry | ST | 377 | 100 | ||
| Hopkins Fork | Kentucky Division of Forestry | ST | 236 | 100 | Started on private land 11 miles south of Pikeville, KY |
Oklahoma
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| * Calf | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 14,210 | 65 | Four miles northeast of Stuart, OK | |
| * Shell Creek | Okmulgee Field Office | BIA | 1,174 | 0 | Eleven miles southeast of Henryetta, OK | |
| * August Creek | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 219 | 100 | ||
| * Midnight | Chickasaw Agency | BIA | 688 | 100 | ||
| * Turkey | Okmulgee Field Office | BIA | 411 | 100 |
South Carolina
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| * Ridley | Francis Marion & Sumter National Forests | USFS | 481 | 100 |
