The 2026 wildfire season continued its record-setting pace through September 17, with the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) reporting 56,161 fires burning more than 8.5 million acres year-to-date — 126% of the 10-year average number of fires and 147% of average acres burned for this point in the season.

National Situation Overview

As of September 17, 56 large fires remain uncontained across 12 states. The National Preparedness Level stands at 3 on a scale of 1 to 5, with more than 12,000 firefighters and support personnel assigned to active incidents nationwide. Eight new large fires were reported on Wednesday alone, underscoring the continued demand on suppression resources entering mid-September.

Washington leads the Pacific Northwest with 9 uncontained large fires, followed by Idaho with 7 and Oregon with 6. Nationally, Texas and Oklahoma have emerged as the most active geographic areas in recent days, with extreme fire behavior driven by triple-digit temperatures, humidity levels dropping as low as 10–15%, and south winds gusting to 25 mph across central Texas and Oklahoma.

2026 Season in Context

Year-to-date statistics paint a stark picture of 2026 as one of the most active fire seasons on record:

  • 2026 (through Sept. 17): 56,161 fires, 8,515,617 acres
  • 2025 (same period): 49,954 fires, 4,425,423 acres
  • 2024 (same period): 37,269 fires, 7,330,120 acres
  • 10-year average: 44,596 fires, 5,797,387 acres

The Pacific Northwest has borne a disproportionate share of the national burden. A catastrophic Red Flag Warning event east of the Cascades in late July and early August drove explosive fire growth across eastern Oregon and Washington, contributing to three large fires near Spokane that destroyed or damaged more than 800 structures.

Resources and Suppression

More than 12,000 personnel remain actively deployed across the country, with aircraft, hand crews, engines, and dozers engaged on dozens of incidents. The Southern Area has been elevated as the highest-priority geographic area heading into the weekend, as extreme conditions persist across the southern Plains.

The Pacific Northwest Coordination Center (NWCC) continues to manage resource orders, though pressure on the region has eased somewhat as several large fires approach containment. Firefighters across Oregon and Washington are increasingly shifting from active suppression to suppression repair operations — a sign that the worst of the Pacific Northwest season may be behind the region.

What to Watch

NIFC forecasters are monitoring isolated thunderstorm potential over southwest Oregon, far northern California, and eastern Oregon and central Idaho today, which could trigger new ignitions. Residents and landowners in fire-prone areas should remain vigilant, monitor local alert systems, and ensure go-kits and evacuation plans are current.