September is National Preparedness Month, and this year the theme — "Americans Stand Ready" — carries particular weight. The 2026 wildfire season has been the most destructive in more than a decade, with 57,087 fires burning more than 8.5 million acres across the United States as of late September. That represents 125% of the 10-year average number of fire starts and 145% of the average acreage burned for the same date.

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) lowered the National Preparedness Level to PL-2 on September 22 — a significant step down from the seven consecutive weeks the country spent at Preparedness Level 5, the highest level on the national scale, between July 18 and September 4. At PL-5, all available national firefighting resources are fully committed and in active use across the country simultaneously.

The Cost of an Extraordinary Season

The scale of the 2026 season has been staggering by almost every metric. The U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Wildland Fire Service dedicated over $6 billion to firefighting efforts this year, according to Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Adam Schiff (D-CA), who sounded alarms about the strain on national firefighting resources during the peak of the season.

Nine people lost their lives in wildfire-related incidents across the country in 2026. Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated or otherwise at risk from approaching fire at some point during the summer.

In the Pacific Northwest, the season was particularly severe. Oregon shattered its all-time acreage record with more than 2.3 million acres burned. Washington State committed $207 million to suppression. Idaho Governor Brad Little declared a fire disaster emergency in late July as multiple large fires threatened communities across the state's fire-prone landscapes.

Resources Currently Deployed

As of September 25, 6,824 firefighters and support personnel remain assigned to incidents across the country. The national mobilization includes 92 crews, 267 engines, and 44 helicopters. Most active fires are reporting minimal to moderate fire behavior, though fire managers remain vigilant given the potential for late-season wind events to reignite activity in areas with dry fuels.

With 26 large fires still burning nationally — including active incidents in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, and California — the firefighting force continues to operate in multiple theaters simultaneously, though at a far lower tempo than the summer peak.

How to Be Ready

NIFC and FEMA are encouraging Americans to use National Preparedness Month as an opportunity to review and strengthen their emergency plans in the wake of the 2026 season. Recommended steps include:

  • Create a household emergency plan that covers evacuation routes, rally points, and communication procedures.
  • Prepare a go-bag with at least 72 hours of supplies, medications, documents, and emergency contacts.
  • Sign up for your county's emergency alert system to receive evacuation orders and warnings directly.
  • Know your evacuation zone and identify multiple routes out of your neighborhood.
  • Create and maintain defensible space around your home — clear at least 30 feet of flammable vegetation.
  • Consider home hardening measures such as ember-resistant vents, non-combustible roofing, and dual-pane windows.

More preparedness resources are available at ready.gov/stand-ready. After one of the most active wildfire seasons the country has seen, the best time to prepare for the next one is now.