The 2026 wildfire season is tracking well above historical norms at nearly every measure, with data from the National Interagency Fire Center showing the nation has already seen more than 31,500 fires and burned approximately 2.5 million acres through mid-June — pace that puts 2026 on track to be one of the most destructive fire years on record.

By the Numbers

As of June 16, NIFC statistics showed 2,535,885 acres burned year-to-date across the United States. As of May 31, NIFC reported 30,588 wildfires had been recorded — 140 percent of the 10-year average of 23,626 fires — and acreage stood at 2,412,214 acres, representing 195 percent of the previous 10-year average of approximately 1.43 million acres.

The NW FireWatch homepage tracking updated this week noted that 31,511 fires and 2.5 million acres have now burned through early June, with 2026 tracking well above the 10-year average at the halfway point of a typical fire year.

National Preparedness Level

NIFC currently has 144,668 acres burning in large fires nationally as of June 17. The National Preparedness Level, which measures the strain on national firefighting resources, has been at Level 2 through much of the spring but is expected to rise as Pacific Northwest and Western fires escalate into summer. At higher preparedness levels, additional national resources are mobilized and resource ordering is prioritized.

Regional Hotspots Beyond the Pacific Northwest

While the Pacific Northwest is grabbing headlines this week, fires are active across a wide swath of the country. Notable incidents on InciWeb include:

  • South Fork Fire, Nebraska: 39,057 acres — the largest current incident on InciWeb
  • Bear Fire, New Mexico: 7,769 acres, 5 hours since last update
  • Seven Cabins Fire, New Mexico: 31,860 acres
  • Rock Canyon Fire, Utah: 2,279 acres
  • East Side Fire, Montana: 1,219 acres

Seasonal Outlook for the Pacific Northwest

The NIFC's July 1 Outlook, covering June through September 2026, projected above-normal fire potential across the Pacific Northwest driven by drought conditions and below-average snowpack from the previous winter. The May fire activity report noted that while Pacific Northwest fires remained generally low in May, low-elevation fuels were well advanced in their curing cycle — setting the stage for the rapid escalation now underway in June.

Fire managers across the region have been preparing for this season. Resource drawdowns and early deployments of Incident Management Teams reflect the expectation that 2026 will be a demanding year for wildland firefighters across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.