The National Interagency Fire Center has maintained the National Preparedness Level at 4 since June 29, 2026, signaling significant nationwide mobilization of firefighting resources. In the Pacific Northwest, the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center (NICC Northwest) is managing the dispatch and coordination of Incident Management Teams (IMTs), strike teams, air resources, and support personnel across simultaneous active incidents in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

What National Preparedness Level 4 Means

The five-level preparedness system reflects the overall demand for national firefighting resources relative to availability. At Level 4, resources are under moderate to high mobilization pressure — meaning that ordering resources for any new large fire becomes more competitive, and some requests may be delayed as existing incidents compete for the same crews, engines, and aircraft.

At this level, the National Multi-Agency Coordinating (NMAC) Group meets daily to prioritize resource allocation nationally. Type 1 and Type 2 Incident Management Teams — the most capable and fully-staffed teams available — may be shifted between assignments as priorities change.

Northwest Teams Currently Engaged

In the Pacific Northwest, multiple Incident Management Teams are currently assigned:

  • NW Team 3 is managing the North Cayuse Fire east of Pendleton, Oregon — a Complex Incident Management Team handling the 2,300-acre fire with active behavior threatening residences on the Umatilla Reservation
  • Washington DNR Southeast Region is managing the Chelan Hills Fire in Douglas County, where 50% containment has been achieved after over 10,000 acres burned and more than 100 structures were destroyed
  • Local and extended-attack resources are managing the Ryegrass Coulee Fire (Kittitas County, WA) and the Claremont Fire (Ada/Boise County, ID)

Air Resources Playing Critical Role

Aerial resources have been essential to operations across all active Northwest incidents. Single-engine air tankers (SEATs), large air tankers (LATs), and helicopters have been deployed on the Chelan Hills, Claremont, and Ryegrass Coulee fires. Helicopter crews performed water-scooping operations on Lake Chelan to support aerial attack on the Chelan Hills Fire.

Air tanker availability nationally is under pressure at Preparedness Level 4, and dispatch coordinators note that lead times for large air tanker orders may be longer than in lower preparedness periods.

Strike Teams and Initial Attack Resources

Washington State officials ordered two wildland fire strike teams — each consisting of five engines and a leader — to assist with the Ryegrass Coulee Fire near Vantage. Strike teams provide rapid, coordinated engine suppression capability critical for protecting structures in the wildland-urban interface.

Idaho's Claremont Fire mobilized significant resources from BLM's Great Basin coordination area along with Boise-area fire departments and engine crews. A burnout operation coordinated by fire management officers significantly strengthened containment lines along the northern perimeter.

Mutual Aid and Preparedness

The severity of the 2026 season has highlighted the importance of mutual aid agreements between federal, state, and local agencies. Washington's $120 million firefighting budget appropriation has allowed the state to pre-position additional resources and strike teams earlier in the season than in prior years.

Fire managers across the region urge communities to support firefighting efforts by following all evacuation orders promptly, keeping roads clear for emergency vehicles, and providing accurate information to dispatchers when reporting new fires or smoke. Every minute of early detection and initial attack makes a critical difference in fire outcomes.