The United States is deep in one of the most demanding wildfire seasons in recent memory. As of July 16, 2026, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) reports that 49 large, uncontained fires are burning across the country, with firefighters responding to 158 new fire starts in a single day. The National Preparedness Level remains at 4 out of 5 (PL 4), a threshold indicating that national firefighting resources are heavily committed and interagency coordination is operating at near-maximum capacity.

So far in 2026, 39,764 fires have burned more than 3.67 million acres across the United States — a pace that is significantly outrunning the 10-year average for this point in the calendar year. Agency officials say conditions are reminiscent of peak mid-August fire behavior, not early-to-mid July.

States with Active Large Fires

Large fires are currently confirmed in ten states, with the Pacific Northwest and interior West bearing the brunt of the seasons fury. Active large-fire states as of July 16 include:

  • Oregon — 5 large fires, including the East Evans Creek, Salmon, Anthony, and North Cayuse fires
  • Idaho — 3 large fires, including the Upper Smith and Turner fires
  • Washington — multiple fires, including the Kaiser Canyon and B&O fires
  • Colorado — 6 large fires, including the massive Aspen Acres (99,820 acres) and Ferris (64,881 acres) fires
  • Utah — 4 large fires, with the Babylon Fire topping 107,000 acres
  • Alaska — 9 large fires, the most of any single state
  • California, Minnesota, Florida, Arizona also reporting significant activity

MAFFS Aircraft Activated

In response to the unprecedented demand on aerial firefighting capacity, NIFC has activated additional Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) aircraft — military C-130 transport planes converted into airtankers. The MAFFS program represents a critical surge capacity tool that supplements the commercial airtanker fleet when civilian aircraft cannot meet demand. Military wings from multiple Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units are now supporting suppression operations across multiple geographic areas.

With more than 17,500 personnel currently assigned to wildfire incidents nationwide, incident management teams and geographic coordination centers are working to prioritize and allocate scarce resources — including hand crews, engines, helicopters, and airtankers — across competing assignments.

Coordinated National Response

Fire managers emphasize that geographic resource sharing is essential in high-PL years. The Northwest Coordination Center (NWCC) in Portland is actively competing with the Rocky Mountain, Great Basin, and California coordination centers for Type 1 and Type 2 Incident Management Teams, as well as heavy air tanker assignments and hotshot crews.

NIFC officials urge the public to monitor local emergency alerts, know their evacuation routes, and follow all orders immediately — not just for personal safety, but to allow firefighters to respond effectively without the added burden of rescuing those who failed to heed warnings.