For the first time since mid-July, the nation's wildfire response posture has eased slightly. The National Multiagency Coordinating Group (NMAC) lowered the National Preparedness Level from PL5 to PL4, effective September 4, 2026, at 7:30 a.m. MDT — ending an unprecedented 48-consecutive-day stretch at the maximum preparedness level.

What the Shift Means

National Preparedness Levels (PL1 through PL5) gauge the collective pressure on the nation's shared wildland fire fighting resources. At PL5, virtually every nationally available resource type — Incident Management Teams, Type 1 and Type 2 crews, airtankers, and support personnel — has been committed to active incidents. The drop to PL4 signals that demand has eased enough to allow some resources to stand down or become available for redeployment.

Factors the NMAC considers include the number of Incident Management Teams committed, total resources assigned, total number of large fires burning, geographic spread of activity, and broader contextual factors identified by the group's senior fire managers. The improvement was driven by cooling temperatures and increasing moisture across the Pacific Northwest and Northern California — regions that have dominated fire activity this season.

77 Large Fires Still Active Nationally

Despite the step-down, the fire landscape remains serious. As of the September 4 morning report, NIFC was tracking 77 large active fires burning across 15 states, with 3,746,691 total acres involved. Firefighters and support personnel totaling 18,401 remain assigned to incidents nationwide, and 92 new fires were reported on September 4 alone.

States currently reporting large fires include:

  • Washington: 14 large fires
  • Montana: 13 large fires
  • Idaho: 12 large fires
  • Oregon: 9 large fires
  • Oklahoma: 5 large fires
  • California: 4 large fires
  • New Mexico: 4 large fires
  • Colorado: 3 large fires
  • Minnesota: 3 large fires
  • Additional fires in Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, Texas, and Arkansas

A Record-Pace Season Nationally

By September 4, firefighters had responded to 52,939 wildfires burning more than 8.29 million acres since January 1 — nearly double the number of fires and roughly double the acreage compared to the same point in 2025, and well above all recent historical comparisons. For reference, the 2025 season had recorded 47,538 fires and 4.2 million acres by this same date.

Outlook

Large fire potential is expected to continue decreasing over the Pacific Northwest, Northern California, and western Idaho as showers and cooler temperatures spread across the region this weekend. High-risk conditions persist across Wyoming and eastern Montana, where temperatures remain in the 90–100°F range with relative humidity dropping to 8–20% and gusts reaching 20–40 mph. The Great Basin also continues to see dry, breezy conditions maintaining elevated fire potential.

Fire managers are cautiously optimistic about the trajectory heading into the traditionally winding-down period of mid-to-late September, but emphasize that significant fuel loads and continued drought across many regions leave the West vulnerable to additional runs if hot, dry, and windy conditions return.