The National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC) officially lowered the national fire preparedness level to Preparedness Level 1 (PL1) at 7:30 a.m. MDT on October 14, 2026 — the lowest point on the five-tier scale and a formal acknowledgment that the peak of the 2026 wildfire season has passed.

Despite the downgrade, firefighters are not standing down entirely. As of Wednesday, October 21, crews are still working to contain eight large fires burning across the country, with a combined footprint of approximately 139,700 acres. Active incidents include fires in California, Oregon, Michigan, and Washington.

What PL1 Means

At Preparedness Level 1, geographic areas can accomplish incident management objectives using local resources with little or no national support. NICC has described current conditions as follows:

  • There is little risk of drawing down firefighting capability in any geographic area to support incident operations nationally.
  • Conditions are not favorable to support significant wildland fire activity in most geographic areas.
  • Resource capability is adequate with minimal mobilization occurring through the NICC.
  • Potential for emerging significant wildland fires is expected to remain minimal.

As of this week, approximately 1,820 firefighters and support personnel remain assigned to incidents nationally, including 18 crews, 113 engines, and 9 helicopters.

A Season of Historic Proportions

The 2026 fire season will go down as one of the most destructive on record. Year-to-date, 64,718 fires have burned more than 9 million acres — 132% of the 10-year average number of fires and 143% of the average acreage burned through mid-October. Oregon alone accounted for more than one-quarter of total national acreage burned, a figure unprecedented in at least a decade.

The season was particularly brutal during a four-week stretch from mid-July through mid-August, which NIFC meteorologist Jim Wallmann described as the busiest he had seen in his five years at the center. Well-timed precipitation in Idaho and Montana helped temper impacts in those states, but Oregon, Washington, and Colorado were devastated.

Current Active Large Fires (as of Oct. 21, 2026)

  • Timber Fire — Los Padres NF, CA: 25,350 acres, 97% contained
  • Grasshopper Fire — Mt. Hood NF, OR: 93,972 acres, 98% contained
  • Austin Fire — Mt. Hood NF, OR: 12,888 acres, 98% contained
  • Sisi Fire — Okanogan-Wenatchee NF / North Cascades NP, WA: 4,743 acres, 34% contained
  • Cooley — Mendocino County, CA: 1,365 acres, 45% contained
  • Norte — Orange County, CA: 570 acres, 80% contained
  • Ridge — Michigan DNR: 466 acres, 50% contained
  • Black River — Michigan DNR: 350 acres, 70% contained

Residents in areas near active fires should continue monitoring local emergency management channels and remain prepared to act quickly on any evacuation notices. The transition to PL1 does not mean all fire danger has passed — late-season weather events can still produce critical fire conditions, as evidenced by recent red flag warnings across parts of eastern Oregon and Washington.