Active Fires
2026 Wildfire Season Surpasses 9 Million Acres Nationally as Activity Slows Heading Into Fall
More than 9 million acres have burned nationally in 2026 — 147% of the 10-year average — as 11 large fires remain active across Washington, Oregon, and California. NIFC has lowered its national preparedness level as fall weather arrives.
Active Fires
2026 Wildfire Season Surpasses 9 Million Acres — 47% Above the Decade Average
With 62,738 fires and more than 9 million acres burned through October 2, the 2026 national wildfire season is tracking at 135% of the 10-year average number of fires and 147% of average acres burned — making it one of the most destructive seasons on record.
Active Fires
Three Queens and King Fires Hold Kittitas County in Suspense Near Snoqualmie Pass
The Three Queens Fire at 9,575 acres and the adjacent King Fire at 3,335 acres keep firefighting resources busy in steep Cascade terrain east of Snoqualmie Pass.
Active Fires
BLM and Wildland Fire Service Launch Fall Prescribed Burn Season Across Oregon and Washington
BLM and the U.S. Wildland Fire Service are kicking off fall prescribed burning in Oregon and Washington, with operations already underway on the Ochoco and Deschutes national forests and planned for Idaho's Sawtooth.
Active Fires
Five Large Fires Still Burning Across Washington State as Mop-Up Continues
Washington state continues to battle five large fires totaling more than 362,000 acres, with the Little Giant and Sinlahekin fires largely contained but a new fire breaking out near Touchet and two Cascade fires posting low containment percentages.
Active Fires
2026 National Fire Season by the Numbers: 8.56 Million Acres, 57,339 Fires, and a Historic Price Tag
Through early October 2026, NIFC reports 57,339 fires and 8.56 million acres burned nationally — 124% and 142% of 10-year averages respectively — with federal suppression costs exceeding $6 billion for the fiscal year.
Active Fires
Crosswhite Fire Reaches 99% Containment After Scorching 342,000 Acres of Central Oregon
Oregon’s Crosswhite Fire in Wheeler County has reached 99% containment at 342,923 acres, one of the state’s largest fires in a record-breaking 2026 season. Recovery and reseeding work is now underway.
Active Fires
National Fire Picture: 57,000+ Fires, 8.5 Million Acres as 2026 Season Winds Down
The 2026 U.S. wildfire season has been one of the most active on record, with more than 57,000 fires burning over 8.5 million acres nationwide — 145% of the ten-year average for this date.
Active Fires
Autumn Prescribed Burn Window Opens Across the Pacific Northwest — Here’s What to Expect
With wildfire suppression season winding down and fall moisture arriving, land managers across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho are preparing for the autumn prescribed burn window — a critical tool for reducing the fuel loads that fed this year’s catastrophic fires.
Active Fires
The Narrows Fire Near Estacada Reaches 98% Containment; Mt. Hood NF Closures Remain in Effect
The Narrows Fire in the Clackamas River Ranger District of Mt. Hood National Forest is nearly fully contained at 305 acres, but fire closures and nearby activity from the Austin Fire continue to affect forest access southeast of Estacada.
Active Fires
National Fire Situation: Preparedness Level 2 as Season Winds Down
The nation is at Preparedness Level 2 as of September 28. The 2026 season has seen 52,253 wildfires and 8.2 million acres burned nationwide — one of the worst on record. Dry conditions persist across the Northwest and Great Basin.
Active Fires
Dome Fire Burns Over 4,600 Acres in Yosemite as National Fire Season Approaches Close
The Dome Fire in Yosemite National Park has grown to 4,606 acres and is 30% contained, keeping more than 800 personnel busy in remote wilderness terrain as the national fire season slowly winds down.
Active Fires
PNW Fire Roundup: Ten Large Incidents Active Across Pacific Northwest Region as Season Eases
Ten large fires remain active across the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies as the 2026 fire season eases from its summer peak. NIFC reports 6,824 firefighters still assigned nationally, with the Upper Smith, Goat, and Nature Grove fires among active incidents in Idaho, Washington, and Montana.
Active Fires
Washington Wildfires: Cascades Fires Cool After Rain, Second Street Blaze Demands Attention
Recent rainfall has calmed fire behavior across Washington's Cascade mountain fires, bringing good news for crews managing the Little Giant and Sinlahekin fires — but a new fast-moving blaze near Benton City is commanding statewide resources as of Saturday morning.
Active Fires
NIFC Drops to Preparedness Level 2 as 2026 Fire Season Begins to Wind Down
The National Interagency Fire Center lowered the national preparedness level to PL 2 on September 22 as fire activity declined significantly, though 12 large fires remain active across 10 states and 2026 is on pace to be the worst fire year in a decade.
Active Fires
Upper Smith Fire Holds at 4,848 Acres in Idaho Panhandle with Minimal Activity
The Upper Smith Fire on the Idaho Panhandle National Forest continues to wind down at 41% containment after burning 4,848 acres near Porthill since July, while fire restrictions across the panhandle have been lifted following widespread September rainfall.
Active Fires
Nature Grove Fire Burns 1,422 Acres Near Hamilton, Montana as Roads Begin to Reopen
The Nature Grove Fire on the Bitterroot National Forest east of Hamilton, Montana holds at 1,422 acres with zero official containment but minimal fire behavior, as road restrictions ease and 125 personnel continue suppression repair work in the drainage.
Active Fires
Montana's Nature Grove Fire Burns at Zero Containment Near Hamilton on Bitterroot National Forest
The Nature Grove Fire on Montana's Bitterroot National Forest is burning 1,422 acres with zero percent containment approximately 13 miles east of Hamilton near Highway 38. Residents near the Bitterroot Valley are urged to monitor updates closely as firefighters work to establish control lines.
Active Fires
Washington Cascade Fires: Three Queens, King, and Goat Fires Continue Into Late Season
Washington's Cascade Range fires remain active as September winds down. The Three Queens Fire stands at 9,566 acres with 23% containment near Snoqualmie Pass, the King Fire burns in Alpine Lakes Wilderness, and the Sisi Fire near Stehekin threatens residences with only 15% containment.
Active Fires
Big Grass Fire: How Oregon Came to Lose Its Wildfire Records in a Single Summer
The Big Grass Fire in southeastern Oregon scorched more than 578,000 acres, officially surpassing every previous wildfire in the state’s recorded history. Lightning-sparked in late July, it forced evacuations across Malheur County and into Idaho before crews finally gained the upper hand.