May 19, 2023 - Six large fires have burned 57,491 in four states. One new large fire was reported in Massachusetts. Nationally, 16,053 wildfires have burned 477,661 acres. This continues 
to be below the 10-year average for both wildfires and acres burned.
The National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC), located at the National Interagency Fire Center has sent additional resources to Canada in response to a request from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) in Canada. There are approximately 225 federal firefighting resources and support personnel assigned to various wildfires in Canada. Currently, the CIFFC has moved to Preparedness Level 5 due to continued hot, dry conditions and extreme fire activity that is being observed on many incidents across all provinces and territories in Canada.
In addition to the federal firefighting resources mobilized, several state wildland fire agencies are also providing personnel and equipment to support the wildfires burning in Canada. The Northwest Wildland Fire Protection Agreement (Northwest Compact) has been in place since 1999 between Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon Territory, Saskatchewan, and Northwest Territories/Forests) and the States of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Montana. Through this agreement, states have dispatched approximately 125 personnel and equipment including ground and air from the following states: Alaska (one airtanker and the Pioneer Pike Hotshot Crew), Washington (miscellaneous firefighting personnel, one initial attack hand crew and three engines), Montana (three incident management personnel), and Oregon (26 incident management personnel). Additionally, Oregon and Washington (including local fire service) have combined personnel to create a shared incident management team.
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 southwest winds will create elevated fire weather conditions and moderate to high risk significant fire potential across the Northeast today. A cold front will move through the Great Lakes today with showers and thunderstorms bringing light to moderate rain today, and into the Northeast tomorrow bringing temporary relief. This cold front will also move through the southern Plains today and into the Southeast this weekend. Scattered to widespread thunderstorms, some severe, are forecast across the southern Plains today, with scattered thunderstorms across the Southeast this weekend including the Florida Peninsula. Above normal temperatures will continue across the West, with record highs possible in portions of the northern Intermountain West. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms are also forecast across the West, with the most widespread rainfall across portions of the Southwest and southern Rockies. Upper ridging will build over Alaska this weekend with temperatures rising to above normal over much of the Interior, but significant fire potential will remain very low to non-existent.
| Number of new large fires or emergency response * New fires are identified with an asterisk |
1 | States currently reporting large fires: |
| Number of active large fires Total does not include individual fires within complexes. |
6 | |
| Acres from active fires | 57,491 | |
| Fires contained | 1 |
Year-to-date statistics
| 2023 (1/1/23-5/19/23) | Fires: 16,053 | Acres: 477,661 |
| 2022 (1/1/22-5/19/22) | Fires: 11,724 | Acres: 1,678,912 |
| 2021 (1/1/21-5/19/21) | Fires: 22,189 | Acres: 575,199 |
| 2020 (1/1/20-5/19/20) | Fires: 16,529 | Acres: 347,704 |
| 2019 (1/1/19-5/19/19) | Fires: 12,761 | Acres: 231,691 |
| 2018 (1/1/18-5/19/18) | Fires: 22,252 | Acres: 1,621,482 |
| 2017 (1/1/17-5/19/17) | Fires: 23,022 | Acres: 2,116,482 |
| 2016 (1/1/16-5/19/16) | Fires: 18,377 | Acres: 1,551,474 |
| 2015 (1/1/15-5/19/15) | Fires: 19,978 | Acres: 377,076 |
| 2014 (1/1/14-5/19/14) | Fires: 22,863 | Acres: 471,875 |
| 2013 (1/1/13-5/19/13) | Fires: 16,184 | Acres: 214,515 |
| 2013-2022 | Fires: 19,899 | Acres: 892,542 |
Source: NIFC
