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June 28, 2024 - Nationwide, 14 new large fires have been identified since yesterday. Alaska has 34 active large fires, most of which are being 
managed under strategies other than full suppression. About 9,000 wildland firefighters and support personnel are assigned to incidents across the country. A Type 1 incident management team is assigned to Fresno June Lightning Complex in California. The Pioneer Fire in Washington, Basin Fire in California, South Fork/Salt Fires in New Mexico, and Oak Ridge Fire in Colorado each have a complex incident management team.
Significant wildland fire activity is now occurring in several geographic areas with the potential for additional large wildland fires emerging. Over the last several days, the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC) has increased its engagement with geographic area coordination centers to fill orders for most national resource types. Furthermore, a drawdown of resources in less active geographic areas may pose a challenge if existing fuel and fire weather conditions change in those areas. Due to these factors, the national preparedness level (PL) increased to three (PL3) at 0730 MDT this morning.
A fuels and fire behavior advisory has been issued for California that highlights abnormally high fine fuel loading across the state. These abundant fuels increase the risk of wildfires spreading quickly, even without strong winds. It's imperative that we all do our part to recreate responsibly and prevent wildfires.
The national predictive services staff at the National Interagency Coordination Center released the National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook for June through September. For additional information about the current outlook visit the Outlook page on the NICC site.
With the change to PL3, many are saying that the busy part of the fire year has arrived in earnest, and at the same time, many of us are spending more time recreating on public land than we do at any other time of the year. Remember to keep campfires small and clear the surrounding area of flammable material. Keep water nearby. Sparks from a crackling campfire can fly. Even a small breeze can fan the flames. When it’s time to go, drown fires with water and stir in some dirt. Once the steam is gone, feel for heat. Do not leave until it is cool. With a little campfire care, you can preserve your special spot for the next time you visit.
Alaska is forecast to have well above average temperatures, along with breezy and dry conditions for the northern Interior. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms with frequent lightning are also forecast. A cooler, drier air mass is forecast to move into the Northwest. California should see little change from Wednesday, with the Central Valley seeing relative humidity in the mid-teens to around 20%. The northern and central Rockies are forecast to see showers and thunderstorms ahead of the drier air that moves in late today. The Great Basin and southern Idaho are forecast to see cooler and drier conditions, with relative humidity around 10%, along with a gusty west wind creating critical fire weather conditions. Severe weather is probable in the High Plains, with the storms moving into the central and northern Plains late in the day. The Mojave and Sonoran Deserts will remain hot with low relative humidity, while the greater Four Corners will see a slight cool down, as well as showers and thunderstorms. While there are some showers and thunderstorms possible for the northern Mississippi River Valley and New England, the Eastern Area should remain mostly dry. Mostly dry and hot conditions will continue for Texas. The Gulf Coast, Lower Mississippi River Valley, and the Atlantic Coast states are forecast to see showers and thunderstorms keeping the area slightly cooler and moister, although still hot.
| Number of new large fires or emergency response * New fires are identified with an asterisk |
11 | States currently reporting large fires: |
| Total number of active large fires Total does not include individual fires within complexes. |
42 | |
| Acres from active fires | 189,928 | |
| Fires contained | 5 |
Year-to-date statistics
| 2024 (1/1/24-6/28/24) | Fires: 20,693 | Acres: 2,270,469 |
| 2023 (1/1/23-6/28/23) | Fires: 23,372 | Acres: 667,744 |
| 2022 (1/1/22-6/28/22) | Fires: 33,360 | Acres: 3,625,819 |
| 2021 (1/1/21-6/28/21) | Fires: 30,219 | Acres: 1,389,087 |
| 2020 (1/1/20-6/28/20) | Fires: 23,806 | Acres: 1,208,488 |
| 2019 (1/1/19-6/28/19) | Fires: 19,223 | Acres: 863,761 |
| 2018 (1/1/18-6/28/18) | Fires: 28,708 | Acres: 2,448,398 |
| 2017 (1/1/17-6/28/17) | Fires: 29,613 | Acres: 2,768,931 |
| 2016 (1/1/16-6/28/16) | Fires: 25,006 | Acres: 2,096,408 |
| 2015 (1/1/15-6/28/15) | Fires: 27,361 | Acres: 1,784,687 |
| 2014 (1/1/14-6/28/14) | Fires: 25,942 | Acres: 884,086 |
10-year average Year-to-Date
| 2014-2023 | Fires: 26,088 | Acres: 1,627,280 |
Source: NIFC
