The 2026 wildfire season is off to one of its most active starts in recent history, with nearly 1.9 million acres burned and more than 26,500 fires reported nationwide through mid-May, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. That pace is running well above the 10-year average of roughly 1.05 million acres burned through the same point in the year.

National Snapshot

As of May 15, NIFC reported the following year-to-date statistics:

  • Fires reported: 26,568
  • Acres burned: 1,918,424
  • Active large fires: 10 in five states (California, Florida, New Mexico, Montana, Minnesota)
  • National Preparedness Level: 2 out of 5
  • Personnel assigned to incidents: approximately 2,000

Where Fires Are Burning

Florida has led the nation in large fire activity, with six large fires burning in the Southern Area as of mid-May. The Southern Area as a whole has seen wind-driven runs and long-range spotting on several incidents, requiring heavy aerial and ground resources.

In the Southwest, fires in New Mexico — including the Seven Cabins Fire on the Lincoln National Forest — have been exhibiting wind-driven runs and spotting. New fires were also reported in Nebraska, Wyoming, and Texas in mid-May, where the Hunggate Fire prompted evacuations and road closures.

The East Side Fire on the Custer Gallatin National Forest in Montana marked the Rocky Mountain region's entry into large fire season, while the Wild Horse Fire in Utah continued to spread through grass and brush fuels in the Great Basin.

Northwest Heating Up

New large fires were confirmed in Oregon and surrounding states in mid-May, according to NIFC. The Pacific Northwest, Eastern Great Basin, and Northern Rockies Geographic Areas are all tracking elevated fire potential heading into summer, driven by drought, below-normal snowpack, and early fuel drying.

The NIFC seasonal outlook released May 1 projects above-normal wildfire potential from the Desert Southwest northward through Idaho, western Montana, and into the Pacific Northwest east of the Cascades beginning in June and expanding through summer.

Fire Weather Outlook

National Weather Service fire weather forecasters noted that breezy west winds across Montana and Wyoming — gusting to 45 mph in some locations — combined with relative humidity dropping to 10 to 25 percent were producing elevated to critical fire weather conditions in the Northern Rockies. Similar patterns are expected to periodically affect the Pacific Northwest this summer.

NIFC and partner agencies continue to call May "Wildfire Awareness Month," emphasizing that most wildfires in the United States are human-caused and preventable. Simple precautions — avoiding parking on dry grass, ensuring equipment is in good repair, checking that trailer chains do not drag on pavement, and complying with local fire restrictions — can significantly reduce ignition risk.