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August 13, 2024 - As of this morning, 77 large active wildfires are being managed with full suppression strategies nationwide. Current wildfires have 
burned 2,321,579 acres. More than 28,750 wildland firefighters and support personnel are assigned to wildfires, including 21 complex and 5 Type 1 incident management teams, 586 crews, 1,489 engines, 185 helicopters, and six Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems, or MAFFS. Sixty fireline management personnel from Australia and New Zealand are assigned to support large fires in the Northwest Area.
Since January 1, 29,547 wildfires have burned 5,224,060 acres in the United States. This is about one million acres above the 10-year average number of acres burned. More than 25,600 wildfires have been caused by people, compared to about 3,700 ignited by lightning. As wildfires continue to threaten communities and natural landscapes, it's crucial that we all do our part to prevent new fires from starting. Remember, it only takes a single spark to start a wildfire, but together, we can prevent them.
Evacuation orders are in effect on 18 wildfires. If you're in an area threatened by wildfires, your safety is the top priority. When evacuation orders are issued, it's crucial to act quickly and follow the guidance of local authorities. Remember, your safety and the safety of your loved ones is what matters most. Trust the experts, follow evacuation orders, and stay safe. Learn more about evacuation plans and animal evacuation tips at https://www.ready.gov/
Take a look at the fuels and fire behavior advisories issued for Colorado's Front Range and Eastern Wyoming, Southwest Oregon, the region east of the Cascades in Oregon and Washington, Nevada, Southern Idaho, Utah, and California. Residents, travelers, or workers on their way to any of these states should be advised and familiarize themselves with the elevated risks.
For more information about the mobilization of wildland firefighters from Australia and New Zealand visit the international support page.
The current reporting from source data for year-to-date figures appears to be underreporting fire acreage in some geographic areas and, therefore, the overall national statistics. Given the very high tempo and scale of national current fire activity, there will be delays in reconciling, especially from areas with large fires and dynamic fire activity. Adjustments may occur as the accuracy of fire locations, mapping and final fire reporting is reconciled.
A shortwave trough will continue to move across the Northwest while high pressure moves over the central third of the US. Overall, weather conditions will be similar to Monday. Further cooling is expected west of the Divide bringing widespread temperatures several degrees below normal in most areas. Temperatures over the southern Plains and Gulf Coast will continue to remain 5 to 10 degrees above normal, rising to the 90s to around 100°F. Breezy southerly winds of 15-25 mph will continue for west Texas with RH of 15-25%. Breezy northerly offshore winds are likely to continue for the Gulf Coast states with RH of 25-35%. A sea breeze over the Gulf Coast may kick up thunderstorm activity that would bring concerns for new ignitions to the Lower Mississippi Valley. Monsoon activity will continue to remain active for Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and will likely push farther east into New Mexico while westerly flow keeps activity out of southeast California and southern Nevada. There will likely be a continuation of scattered mixed wet/dry thunderstorms for portions of the Northwest, northern California, northern Great Basin, and across the Rockies due to the shortwave trough moving through. Widespread breezy to gusty westerly flow will continue for portions of California, Nevada, and into southern Idaho, as well as through the Cascade gaps and Columbia Basin. Winds will likely be a little weaker than on Monday at around 15-25 mph with gusts to 35 mph. Very dry conditions will remain in place east of the Sierra with RH as low as 8-25%, and higher humidity will continue to the west.
| Number of new large fires or emergency response * New fires are identified with an asterisk |
4 | States currently reporting large fires: |
| Total number of active large fires Total does not include individual fires within complexes. |
77 | |
| Acres from active fires | 2,321,579 | |
| Fires contained | 2 |
Year-to-date statistics
| 2024 (1/1/24-8/13/24) | Fires: 29,547 | Acres: 5,224,060 |
| 2023 (1/1/23-8/13/23) | Fires: 34,234 | Acres: 1,617,369 |
| 2022 (1/1/22-8/13/22) | Fires: 40,156 | Acres: 5,905,686 |
| 2021 (1/1/21-8/13/21) | Fires: 40,090 | Acres: 3,893,239 |
| 2020 (1/1/20-8/13/20) | Fires: 35,387 | Acres: 2,349,698 |
| 2019 (1/1/19-8/13/19) | Fires: 29,572 | Acres: 3,655,609 |
| 2018 (1/1/18-8/13/18) | Fires: 40,392 | Acres: 5,623,512 |
| 2017 (1/1/17-8/13/17) | Fires: 41,688 | Acres: 6,267,405 |
| 2016 (1/1/16-8/13/16) | Fires: 37,075 | Acres: 3,857,015 |
| 2015 (1/1/15-8/13/15) | Fires: 39,830 | Acres: 6,506,392 |
| 2014 (1/1/14-8/13/14) | Fires: 36,007 | Acres: 2,552,109 |
10-year average Year-to-Date
| 2014-2023 | Fires: 37,443 | Acres: 4,211,712 |
Source: NIFC
