The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) is operating at National Preparedness Level 4 — elevated since late June — as firefighters battle 38 large fires burning across 14 states, consuming more than 541,000 acres of active fire ground. The Pacific Northwest is among the most heavily impacted regions, with Oregon, Washington, and Idaho all reporting active large fire incidents.

What Preparedness Level 4 Means

The National Preparedness Level (PL) is a five-tier scale used by NIFC to describe the overall national mobilization status of firefighting resources. At PL4, national firefighting resources are heavily committed across multiple geographic areas. Movement of resources between regions becomes more complex, and some specialized assets may face availability constraints. PL5, the highest level, is declared when demand for resources exceeds supply nationally.

NIFC first raised the national preparedness level to 4 on June 29, 2026, at 7:30 a.m. MDT, citing rapidly evolving fire conditions across the western United States.

Current National Fire Statistics

As of the NIFC situation report for July 9, 2026:

  • 38 large fires currently active nationwide
  • 541,416 acres burning across all active fires
  • 165 new fires reported in a single day nationwide
  • 3 new large fires reported in the Northwest Geographic Area
  • 37,949 fires have burned 3.4 million acres year-to-date in 2026

The 2026 year-to-date acreage figure of 3.4 million acres already exceeds the same period in 2025 (2.1 million acres) and 2024 (2.8 million acres), placing 2026 on track for a significantly above-average fire season.

Large Fires by State

States with active large fires as of July 9 include:

  • Alaska: 11 large fires
  • Oregon: 3 large fires
  • Washington: 3 large fires
  • Utah: 4 large fires
  • Colorado: 4 large fires
  • Idaho: 2 large fires
  • California: 2 large fires
  • Nevada: 2 large fires
  • New Mexico: 2 large fires
  • Montana, Wyoming, Arizona, North Carolina, Florida: 1 each

Northwest Geographic Area Resources Under Pressure

The Northwest Interagency Coordination Center (NWCC), which coordinates fire resources for Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, is managing a particularly active period. Three new large fires were reported in the Northwest Geographic Area on July 9 alone, following a prolonged period of mostly dry lightning that sparked multiple new ignitions across the region.

The North Cayuse Fire in Oregon alone has 524 personnel assigned, including 21 crews, 12 engines, 14 dozers, 8 water tenders, and 3 helicopters. The Chelan Hills Fire in Washington required an equally large multi-agency response at its peak.

Drone Incursions a Growing Safety Concern

NIFC reported that 10 drone incursions near active wildfires have already occurred in 2026, four of them in California. Unauthorized drones ground aerial firefighting operations, halting critical air tanker and helicopter drops at exactly the moments when they are most needed. Violators face substantial federal fines. Anyone near wildfire activity is urged not to fly drones under any circumstances and to visit KnowBeforeYouFly.org for information on flight restrictions.