Resources & Equipment

The U.S. has remained at National Preparedness Level 5 for 40 straight days as 22,356 firefighters battle 93 large fires nationwide. Active-duty Army soldiers and National Guard units have joined the fireline in Washington, including 240 soldiers assigned to the Little Giant Fire in Chelan County.

Both the national and Northwest firefighting systems are at Preparedness Level 5 — maximum capacity — with over 22,000 personnel in the field and resources described as critically low. International crews from Canada and Australia have been activated under emergency sharing agreements to address the gap.

Nearly 13,000 of the 22,085 firefighters deployed nationally are working Oregon and Washington fires. The PNW is the top national resource priority, with Oregon Air National Guard crews also mobilized for the Grasshopper Fire near Tygh Valley.

National Preparedness Level 5 has been in effect since late July, with 22,122 firefighters deployed to 79 large fires nationwide. The Northwest leads with 29 fires and 11 incident management teams assigned.

More than 22,000 firefighters are currently assigned to incidents across the United States, with the Pacific Northwest drawing heavily on national resources including aerial assets and Unmanned Aircraft Systems to fight its 29 active large fires.

NIFC reports 24,265 firefighters and support personnel deployed to 76 large fires nationwide, with the Pacific Northwest consuming the lion's share of interagency resources. DC-10 VLATs returned to service in May after an earlier grounding.

With 80 large uncontained fires burning across the country and the Pacific Northwest bearing the heaviest load, more than 28,700 personnel are currently assigned to wildland fire incidents nationwide. Washington has activated over 300 National Guard members, and resources from states as far away as Florida are being deployed to the region.

Unauthorized drone flights have disrupted aerial firefighting 67 times nationally in 2026, with 39 incidents in Washington alone. During the Spokane fires, more than 21 incursions were recorded in a single day, grounding helicopters and air tankers.

With nearly 30,000 personnel deployed nationwide and the Pacific Northwest drawing the bulk of national resources, the 2026 fire season is pushing the national preparedness level to its limits. Resource competition between regions is complicating response to new fires.

With the national firefighting system at Preparedness Level 5 and 29,548 personnel committed nationwide, the Pacific Northwest has drawn on military troops from Joint Base Lewis-McChord and international aviation resources from Canada as agencies exhaust conventional options.

With domestic firefighting capacity maxed out, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada have deployed crews and airtankers to the Pacific Northwest. Three international IMTs, 196 fireline personnel, military MAFFS C-130s, and National Guard troops are all in the fight.

With 29,612 personnel deployed to wildfire incidents nationwide and federal resources at maximum commitment under Preparedness Level 5, the logistics of fighting 2026’s fires represent one of the largest mobilizations in U.S. wildfire history.

The National Interagency Fire Center has maintained the country at National Preparedness Level 5 — the highest level — since July 18, as 29,058 firefighters and support personnel are committed to 95 large uncontained fires across 15 states.

200 Army soldiers from JBLM and two Air Force Reserve MAFFS C-130 airtankers have been deployed to Pacific Northwest wildfires as the 2026 season pushes national resources to their limits. Crews from Australia and New Zealand are also assisting. With 30,000+ personnel deployed nationally and NPL at maximum 5, 2026 is one of the busiest fire years on record.

240 soldiers from JBLM's 7th Infantry Division are deployed to Washington's Modrite Fire, while 250 additional fire management specialists from Australia and New Zealand arrive this week to support the Pacific Northwest fire siege.

The U.S. is at National Preparedness Level 5 — its highest — with 30,419 personnel, 645 crews, and 226 helicopters fighting 94 large fires nationwide as the Pacific Northwest faces peak fire season pressure.

The U.S. remains at National Preparedness Level 5 — the highest possible — with 94 uncontained large fires, over 30,000 firefighters deployed, and 5.15 million acres burned year-to-date. The Pacific Northwest is one of the most resource-intensive fire areas in the country.

The nation has been at its highest wildfire preparedness level since July 20, with over 30,600 personnel, 1,856 engines, 204 helicopters, and 26 incident management teams fully committed across the West.

National Preparedness Level 5 has been in effect since July 18, with 30,132 personnel deployed nationwide. The Northwest GACC is also at PL5 as Oregon and Washington host nearly half the nation's active large fires.

International firefighters from Australia and New Zealand, four military MAFFS C-130 airtankers, U.S. Army soldiers, and 25 Incident Management Teams are among the resources deployed to fight Pacific Northwest wildfires as national resources hit their limits.