The 2026 wildfire season has arrived with a ferocity that is pushing the year into historically significant territory. As of June 28, more than 3.07 million acres had burned nationally year-to-date — nearly double the 1.79 million acres recorded at the same point in 2025 and well above the pace of most recent years.

National Snapshot

The National Interagency Fire Center reports 52 large fires currently burning across nine states, with 465,189 acres under active fire management. Here is a state-by-state breakdown of current large fire activity:

  • Alaska (12 fires): Bear, Buffalo, Elliott Complex, Glacier, Kathul, Kilusiktok, Mailbox, Mud, Pogo, Polly, Shaw, and Starry fires — ranging from 120 to 3,194 acres. Alaska routinely leads the nation in acreage during June due to its vast, remote boreal forests.
  • Utah (3 fires): Including fires burning with active torching, spotting, and creeping behavior with structures threatened.
  • Arizona (3 fires): The Pocket Fire on the Coconino National Forest (1,512 acres, 7 miles north of Sedona) and the White Tail Fire (857 acres near San Carlos) are among the most significant.
  • New Mexico (3 fires): The McCauley Springs Fire on the Santa Fe National Forest (722 acres, 4 miles NE of Jemez Springs) and the Canyon Venado fire (908 acres) continue to burn with active management.
  • Nevada (2 fires), Idaho (1 fire), Wyoming (1 fire), North Carolina (1 fire), Florida (1 fire)

Year-to-Date in Context

To put 2026 in perspective:

  • 2026 YTD (through 6/28): 35,682 fires, 3,071,850 acres
  • 2025 YTD (through 6/28): 33,809 fires, 1,786,851 acres
  • 2024 YTD (through 6/28): 21,110 fires, 2,370,234 acres
  • 2022 YTD (through 6/28): 33,360 fires, 3,625,819 acres (the recent high)

The current trajectory puts 2026 on pace to rival or exceed 2022, which was itself one of the most active recent seasons.

Pacific Northwest: Watching and Ready

The Pacific Northwest is currently experiencing a brief moderating weather window, keeping large fire starts at bay for now. The single active large fire in Idaho — the Shingle Creek Fire near Riggins — is progressing toward full containment.

But PNW fire managers are under no illusions. With national resources already strained at Preparedness Level 4, and peak fire season still ahead for Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, the region faces the prospect of fighting its own fires later this summer with fewer available national resources than in an average year.

Stay Informed

Residents across the Pacific Northwest should monitor conditions and be ready to act quickly when fire weather returns. Key resources:

  • InciWeb: inciweb.wildfire.gov — incident-specific updates, maps, evacuation orders
  • NIFC: nifc.gov — national statistics and situation reports
  • Northwest Coordination Center: nwccweb.us — regional resource and incident briefings
  • Watch Duty app — real-time fire alerts for mobile devices