The scale of the 2026 wildfire season has pushed domestic firefighting capacity to its limits, prompting the deployment of international crews to support operations across the Pacific Northwest and Great Basin. As of the most recent NIFC Incident Management Situation Report, the United States has more than 12,965 firefighters and support personnel assigned to active incidents nationwide — and that workforce includes personnel from Australia and New Zealand.

International Deployment

Two 15-member incident management teams (IMTs) and 212 fireline personnel from Australia and New Zealand are currently assigned to support large fires in the Northwest and Great Basin geographic areas, according to NIFC. These crews are working under U.S. incident command structures and are integrated into ongoing suppression and management operations.

The deployment of international resources reflects the depth of the resource commitment required this season. International crews — most commonly from Australia, New Zealand, and Canada — are periodically requested under bilateral agreements when domestic resources are insufficient to meet demand. The volume and duration of international deployment in 2026 is consistent with what agencies faced in peak years like 2017 and 2021.

National Preparedness Level

The country has been operating at high preparedness levels for months. From July 18 through September 4, 2026, the national preparedness level was at Level 5 — the maximum — with federal resources fully committed across the country. As of September 9, the level has dropped to Level 3, reflecting the modest progress achieved through early September precipitation and active suppression work. However, Level 3 still indicates significant national resource commitment, and agencies remain highly mobilized.

Where Resources Are Concentrated

The Northwest Geographic Area Coordination Center (NWCC), based in Portland, Oregon, serves as the focal point for resource coordination, logistics, and aviation support across the region. With Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana all carrying heavy fire loads simultaneously, competition for aircraft, hand crews, engines, and overhead personnel has been intense throughout the summer.

Aircraft — including air tankers, helicopters, and single-engine airtankers (SEATs) — have been in particularly high demand. When multiple large fires ignite simultaneously across the Northwest, as occurred multiple times this summer, coordination centers must make difficult triage decisions about where to deploy limited aerial resources for maximum effect.

Fuels Work Begins

With some of the season biggest fires approaching full containment, NIFC noted this week that fire personnel are beginning to shift focus toward fuels management on public lands. Prescribed burns and mechanical fuel treatments — removing downed logs, brush, and ladder fuels — are a critical part of long-term fire resilience and are typically conducted in autumn when conditions are safer. Communities near national forests and BLM land should expect to see activity and signage related to this work in coming weeks.

Officials emphasized that even as suppression operations wind down on the largest incidents, preparedness must remain high. Fire weather can return quickly in September and October, and the infrastructure, personnel, and community readiness built during this season will continue to be assets as long as elevated conditions persist.