The National Interagency Fire Center's (NIFC) September 16 situation report paints a sobering picture of the 2026 wildfire season: 61 large uncontained fires are burning across the country, more than 8.5 million acres have burned since January 1, and the nation's firefighting force remains stretched thin with the Southern Plains emerging as a new hotspot late in the season.

By the Numbers

NIFC's year-to-date statistics as of September 16 tell the story of an exceptional fire year:

  • Fires: 56,042 (vs. 49,806 in 2025 and 37,133 in 2024 for the same period)
  • Acres burned: 8,514,803 (vs. 4,382,993 in 2025 — nearly double)
  • Active large fires: 61 uncontained, with 9 new large incidents on September 15 alone
  • Personnel deployed: More than 11,500 firefighters, support personnel, and aviation crews nationwide
  • National Preparedness Level: 3 (on a scale of 1 to 5)

Compared to the 10-year average, the number of fires in 2026 is running at 125 percent of normal, while the number of acres burned is at 147 percent of average — a stark indicator of how severe this season has been.

Where the Action Is

Washington and Oregon remain the states with the most large active fires in the Pacific Northwest, with 10 and 7 large fires respectively as of the latest NIFC count. Montana has 9 large active fires. However, the Southern Area has emerged as the highest-priority geographic area, with nine new large incidents reported on September 15 and 15 uncontained large fires in states including Texas (7), Oklahoma (6), and Arkansas (1). Several of those fires are threatening structures and driving evacuations.

Hot, dry conditions across the southern Plains — with temperatures near 100°F, southerly winds of 12–20 mph, and relative humidity as low as 15–25 percent in central Texas — are driving extreme fire behavior in the region.

Mixed Signals in the West

Across the Pacific Northwest and much of the interior West, many fires are showing minimal fire behavior following recent precipitation, according to NIFC. However, that relief is expected to be short-lived. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are developing in southern Oregon and central Idaho today, which may provide additional moisture — but also carry the risk of lightning-caused new starts in areas with critically dry fuels.

Meanwhile, dry south winds of 15–20 mph across Nevada with relative humidity at 10–15 percent are creating elevated fire conditions in the Great Basin.

Resource Strain and Aircraft Deployment

The extended period of elevated national preparedness — the nation was at Preparedness Level 5 (maximum commitment of federal resources) from July 18 through September 4 — has left firefighting organizations fatigued and resource-depleted. Aerial resources including air tankers, scooper planes, and helicopters have been continuously reassigned across the country to keep pace with shifting fire activity. Resource ordering remains competitive, particularly for Type 1 Incident Management Teams and hotshot crews.

NIFC urges the public to recreate responsibly on public lands: avoid open burning during fire restrictions, properly extinguish campfires, and prevent equipment sparks. Thousands of this year's fires were caused by human activity, including unattended campfires, debris burning, and equipment ignitions.