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August 31, 2024 - As of this morning, 42 large active wildfires are being managed with full suppression strategies nationwide. Current wildfires have burned 1,671,310 acres. More than 15,600 wildland firefighters and support personnel are assigned to wildfires, including 20 complex and one Type 1 incident management teams, 351 crews, 632 engines, and 93 helicopters. Evacuation orders are in effect on seven fires. Residents are advised to continue to follow the evacuation orders and guidance of law enforcement officials.
Late summer and fall are characterized by extremely dry fuels in many parts of the country, and multiple geographic areas continue to fight fires that threaten homes and present major challenges to containment. Even if temperatures are coming down in your area, maintain heightened awareness of any possible sources of ignition.
Planning a Labor Day camping trip? Always check for local fire restrictions before starting any outdoor activity. If fire bans are in place, respect them. By staying vigilant and making responsible choices, we can all help protect our communities and preserve our beautiful landscapes from devastating wildfires. Remember, it only takes a single spark to start a wildfire, but together, we can prevent them.
Sixty fireline management personnel from Australia and New Zealand are assigned to support large fires in the Northwest Area. For more information about the mobilization of wildland firefighters from Australia and New Zealand visit the international support page.
Two hundred forty-five soldiers from the 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion and the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment based out of Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) are deployed in support of wildland fire operations on the Boise National Forest. NIMO (Team 2) is assigned to support the military contingent. To learn more about military mobilizations, visit the military support page.
Note: Given the very high tempo and scale of national fire activity over the past few months, there have been delays in reconciling actual acreage burned with entries into the reporting systems, especially from areas with large fires and dynamic fire activity. Adjustments are occurring as the accuracy of fire locations, mapping and final fire reporting is reconciled.
Strong upper-level high pressure will slowly migrate into the Great Basin and central Rockies today, with well above normal temperatures, low afternoon relative humidity, and poor overnight recovery continuing for much of the West. Scattered mainly wet thunderstorms are likely in central Arizona to southern and western New Mexico, with isolated mixed wet and dry thunderstorms into northwest Arizona, southwest Utah, and east-central Nevada. The driest storms are likely to occur on the northwest fringe of the moisture in east-central Nevada. A weak upper low off the California coast will nudge closer to the coast with a slight chance of afternoon dry thunderstorms in the Cascades of far northern California and southern Oregon. In addition, thermal troughing will continue near the Cascades and enhance low-level instability. The cold front in the eastern US will slowly move into central Texas, the Lower Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley, and Northeast with scattered to widespread showers and thunderstorms. The heaviest and most widespread rain is forecast for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
Number of new large fires or emergency response * New fires are identified with an asterisk |
1 | States currently reporting large fires: |
Total number of active large fires Total does not include individual fires within complexes. |
42 | |
Acres from active fires | 1,671,310 | |
Fires contained | 2 |
Year-to-date statistics
2024 (1/1/24-8/31/24) | Fires: 33,631 | Acres: 6,336,634 |
2023 (1/1/23-8/31/23) | Fires: 39,443 | Acres: 2,011,193 |
2022 (1/1/22-8/31/22) | Fires: 42,234 | Acres: 6,153,171 |
2021 (1/1/21-8/31/21) | Fires: 42,889 | Acres: 4,887,466 |
2020 (1/1/20-8/31/20) | Fires: 39,991 | Acres: 4,018,246 |
2019 (1/1/19-8/31/19) | Fires: 33,559 | Acres: 4,068,171 |
2018 (1/1/18-8/31/18) | Fires: 43,624 | Acres: 6,838,826 |
2017 (1/1/17-8/31/17) | Fires: 46,493 | Acres: 7,139,461 |
2016 (1/1/16-8/31/16) | Fires: 40,359 | Acres: 4,594,895 |
2015 (1/1/15-8/31/15) | Fires: 43,819 | Acres: 8,202,557 |
2014 (1/1/14-8/31/14) | Fires: 38,528 | Acres: 2,746,256 |
10-year average Year-to-Date
2014-2023 | Fires: 41,540 | Acres: 4,998,105 |
Source: NIFC