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September 22, 2023 - Three new large fires were reported yesterday, two in Mississippi and one in Colorado. Fifty-three large wildfires have burned 440,958 acres in 11 states. More than 
8,300 wildland firefighters and support personnel are assigned to incidents. This includes 150 crews, 362 engines, 75 helicopters and 11 incident management teams.
So far in 2023, 43,899 wildfires have burned 2,332,108 acres. This is below the 10-year average of 44,575 wildfires and 6,046,153 acres burned. Hunting season will be here soon, and with wildfires still burning in several states, please be aware of your surroundings and always recreate responsibly. Know before you go and check with your local Fish and Game or fire agency to ensure no restrictions in your hunting unit(s). Please remember to leave the area/campsite in better shape than when you arrived. Leave no trace by keeping a clean campsite and take your trash with you when you go.
The predictive services staff at the National Interagency Coordination Center released the National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook for September through December. The current wildland fire potential outlook and the monthly seasonal outlook podcast is also available.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues to work with state and local agencies in Hawai‘i. Some national parks in Hawai‘i have been affected by wildfires. For the latest on closure status, recovery, and travel please visit: Wildfires affecting Hawaii - Hawai'i (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).
Breezy and dry conditions will continue across much of the Southwest, West Slope, and spread onto the central and southern High Plains, with westerly wind gusts up to 40 mph amid minimum relative humidity of 10-25%. Warm and dry conditions are forecast near and west of the Cascades in northwest California through western Washington, but winds will be light. Below normal temperatures will continue across much of the northern Intermountain West, while widespread rain, with snow above 6,500 feet, is forecast from eastern Idaho through much of Montana and northern Wyoming into the Dakotas. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop on the eastern Plains into the Mississippi Valley, including portions of east Texas and Louisiana. Above normal temperatures will continue across much of Texas into the Southeast, with areas of low relative humidity across portions of central Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama. Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen is forecast to strengthen into a tropical storm today, with heavy rain, gusty winds, and coastal flooding across the eastern Carolinas to the Delmarva Peninsula.
| Number of new large fires or emergency response * New fires are identified with an asterisk |
3 | States currently reporting large fires: |
| Number of active large fires Total does not include individual fires within complexes. |
53 | |
| Acres from active fires | 440,958 | |
| Fires contained | 6 |
Year-to-date statistics
| 2023 (1/1/23-9/22/23) | Fires: 44,011 | Acres: 2,342,143 |
| 2022 (1/1/22-9/22/22) | Fires: 51,437 | Acres: 6,834,496 |
| 2021 (1/1/21-9/22/21) | Fires: 45,407 | Acres: 5,988,174 |
| 2020 (1/1/20-9/22/20) | Fires: 43,917 | Acres: 7,027,861 |
| 2019 (1/1/19-9/22/19) | Fires: 38,264 | Acres: 4,352,891 |
| 2018 (1/1/18-9/22/18) | Fires: 48,523 | Acres: 7,341,480 |
| 2017 (1/1/17-9/22/17) | Fires: 48,782 | Acres: 8,529,044 |
| 2016 (1/1/16-9/22/16) | Fires: 44,205 | Acres: 4,859,568 |
| 2015 (1/1/15-9/22/15) | Fires: 47,246 | Acres: 8,941,322 |
| 2014 (1/1/14-9/22/14) | Fires: 40,115 | Acres: 3,027,795 |
| 2013 (1/1/13-9/22/13) | Fires: 38,529 | Acres: 4,011,552 |
10-year average Year-to-Date
| 2013-2022 | Fires: 44,575 | Acres: 6,046,153 |
Source: NIFC
