Click Here for California Fires
September 4, 2024 - Thousands of lightning strikes across the West have resulted in numerous new ignitions, some of which have become new large wildfires, and there is potential for others to do 
the same. Currently, 63 large active wildfires are being managed with full suppression strategies. Current wildfires have burned 1,927,516 acres. More than 16,500 wildland firefighters and support personnel are assigned to wildfires nationwide. Resources assigned to incidents include 23 complex and three Type 1 incident management teams, 346 crews, 887 engines, and 89 helicopters.
Many parts of the country are reporting extremely dry fuels with temperatures starting to climb again. Multiple geographic areas continue to fight fires that threaten homes and present major challenges to containment. It's important for all of us to maintain heightened awareness of any possible sources of ignition.
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 is forecast to build from the Desert Southwest northwestward to along the Northwest coast. Well above normal, including daily-record setting temperatures, are likely in the Desert Southwest as temperatures rise to up to 115°F. Well above normal temperatures will also spread into northern California and the Cascades westward to the coast with temperatures up to 100°F. Very low relative humidity of 5-20% is likely for much of California, Inland Northwest, Great Basin, and Southwest, west of the Divide, with poor overnight recovery of 15-30% for mid-slopes and ridges. Thermal troughing will also develop west of the Cascades in the Northwest increasing low-level instability. Temperatures will be closer to normal in the northern and central Rockies, although isolated mixed wet and dry thunderstorms are likely to continue in Colorado and Wyoming. Overall, winds are expected to be light across the West except for locally breezy westerly winds on the east slopes of the Wasatch in Utah. The moisture from Texas is expected to move into the Lower Mississippi Valley Wednesday with widespread showers and thunderstorms and locally heavy rain, especially closer to the Gulf Coast. A weak cold front will move into the northern Plains and Upper Mississippi Valley with isolated showers and thunderstorms, but the Upper Ohio Valley is likely to remain very dry with relative humidity as low as 20% and light winds.
| Number of new large fires or emergency response * New fires are identified with an asterisk |
13 | States currently reporting large fires: |
| Total number of active large fires | 63 | |
| Acres from active fires | 1,927,516 | |
| Fires contained | 4 |
Year-to-date statistics
| 2024 (1/1/24-9/04/24) | Fires: 34,373 | Acres: 6,492,031 |
| 2023 (1/1/23-9/04/23) | Fires: 40,221 | Acres: 2,089,674 |
| 2022 (1/1/22-9/04/22) | Fires: 48,851 | Acres: 6,212,242 |
| 2021 (1/1/21-9/04/21) | Fires: 43,354 | Acres: 5,054,253 |
| 2020 (1/1/20-9/04/20) | Fires: 40,641 | Acres: 4,506,348 |
| 2019 (1/1/19-9/04/19) | Fires: 34,446 | Acres: 4,101,339 |
| 2018 (1/1/18-9/04/18) | Fires: 45,984 | Acres: 6,969,916 |
| 2017 (1/1/17-9/04/17) | Fires: 47,094 | Acres: 7,802,597 |
| 2016 (1/1/16-9/04/16) | Fires: 41,359 | Acres: 4,684,007 |
| 2015 (1/1/15-9/04/15) | Fires: 44,199 | Acres: 8,424,233 |
| 2014 (1/1/14-9/04/14) | Fires: 38,395 | Acres: 2,766,605 |
10-year average Year-to-Date
| 2014-2023 | Fires: 42,382 | Acres: 5,291,756 |
Source: NIFC
