The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise elevated the National Preparedness Level (NPL) to Level 3 on Thursday, June 18, 2026, citing a surge in large fire activity across multiple geographic areas and growing demand for national firefighting resources. The move signals that the 2026 fire season is escalating well ahead of schedule.

What PL3 Means

The National Preparedness Level is a five-tier system used by NIFC to assess the overall readiness posture of the U.S. wildland fire suppression system. The levels range from PL1 (low activity, resources abundant) to PL5 (resources fully committed, national mobilization required).

  • PL1–2: Normal operations; local and geographic area resources are sufficient
  • PL3: Geographic areas are increasingly utilizing national support; resource demand is elevated but current capability remains sufficient
  • PL4–5: National resources are nearly or fully committed; military and international support may be requested

At PL3, Incident Management Teams (IMTs) and specialized resources like air tankers and hotshot crews are being moved between geographic areas to meet demand. Dispatch centers operate with increased staffing, and resource ordering is prioritized at the national level.

Current National Picture

As of Thursday, June 18:

  • 27 large fires are burning across 13 states
  • 182,474 acres are burning from active large fires
  • ~5,000 personnel are assigned to incidents nationwide
  • Two Complex Incident Management Teams are deployed
  • 8 new large fires were reported in the previous 24 hours

Year-to-date, 33,349 fires have burned more than 2.6 million acres in 2026 — nearly double the 10-year average of 1.6 million acres for the same period.

Northwest Under Pressure

The Northwest geographic area is experiencing the most intense fire activity, with Washington contributing six large fires and Oregon contributing two. The surge of new ignitions this week, triggered by Red Flag Warning conditions across eastern Washington and Oregon, has placed heavy demand on Northwest Coordination Center (NWCC) resources. Type 1 and Type 2 IMTs from outside the region are being brought in to manage the most complex incidents.

The Great Basin (Idaho and Nevada) is also active, with the Median Fire in Idaho and multiple Nevada fires exhibiting rapid growth and challenging behavior. Combined, the Northwest and Great Basin are the primary drivers behind the PL escalation.

Looking Forward

NIFC forecasters caution that above-normal fire potential is expected to persist across the western United States through at least July, with the Northwest, Great Basin, and Rocky Mountain areas at the highest risk. The agency is monitoring resource availability closely and may increase the preparedness level further if activity continues to grow.

For the latest national fire situation, visit nifc.gov. For Northwest-specific information, the Northwest Coordination Center publishes daily morning briefings at nwccweb.us.