May 9, 2023 - The National Multi-agency Coordinating Group at NIFC increased the National Preparedness Level to PL 2 May 8 at 6 p.m. This is due to an increase in resource commitment to both wildland fire and prescribed fire across multiple Geographic Areas coupled with a request from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center (CIFFC) for handcrews and Incident Management Teams.
Take a moment to check the Monthly Seasonal Outlook from the National Interagency Coordination Center Predicted Services. Listen to the Monthly Seasonal Outlook briefing podcast for a complete overview of the next four months.
Dry and breezy conditions will develop over much of the Southwest into southern Colorado and the adjacent High Plains today and tomorrow. Moderate to High risk significant fire potential is forecast for portions of southeast Arizona into central and eastern New Mexico and the adjacent High Plains. Dry conditions will continue into early next week with low afternoon relative humidity and poor overnight recovery. An upper low may move into the Four Corners late next week with breezy and dry conditions likely near and east of the Divide in New Mexico while areas west of the Divide would see improving conditions and isolated to scattered showers. Hot and dry conditions will continue over Florida today with minimum relative humidity near or below 30%. Higher relative humidity is forecast this weekend into next week with minimum relative humidity above 35%. Isolated showers and thunderstorms are also forecast for much of next week, with localized areas of wetting rain. However, lightning ignitions will be possible with any of the storms and significant fire potential will remain low to moderate. Upper troughing will continue near the West Coast through mid-next week with periods of showers and thunderstorms and wetting rainfall for the northern half of the West including northern California. An upper low is forecast to move into the southern Great Basin mid-next week with showers possible there as well. Meanwhile, daily scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast for much of the Plains through the Mississippi Valley to the Appalachians with most locations receiving wetting rain over the next week. The East Coast will be drier with isolated showers and thunderstorms possible late next week, but northern New England will likely remain dry with increasing fire potential. Temperatures over Alaska will continue to be near to below normal with scattered light showers into next week.
Number of new large fires or emergency response * New fires are identified with an asterisk |
12 | States currently reporting large fires: |
Number of active large fires Total does not include individual fires within complexes. |
10 | |
Acres from active fires | 43,756 | |
Fires contained | 13 |
Year-to-date statistics
2023 (1/1/23-5/08/23) | Fires: 14,260 | Acres: 437,232 |
2022 (1/1/22-5/08/22) | Fires: 0 | Acres: 1,269,758 |
2021 (1/1/21-5/08/21) | Fires: 19,985 | Acres: 540,176 |
2020 (1/1/20-5/08/20) | Fires: 13,671 | Acres: 275,317 |
2019 (1/1/19-5/08/19) | Fires: 11,639 | Acres: 229,713 |
2018 (1/1/18-5/08/18) | Fires: 19,957 | Acres: 1,449,664 |
2017 (1/1/17-5/08/17) | Fires: 21,310 | Acres: 2,043,329 |
2016 (1/1/16-5/08/16) | Fires: 16,781 | Acres: 1,494,293 |
2015 (1/1/15-5/08/15) | Fires: 16,831 | Acres: 345,135 |
2014 (1/1/14-5/08/14) | Fires: 20,960 | Acres: 420,342 |
2013 (1/1/13-5/08/13) | Fires: 14,102 | Acres: 163,731 |
10-year average Year-to-Date
2013-2022 | Fires: 17,219 | Acres: 803,334 |
Source: NIFC