Wildfire Report
Daily Tech Reader - Wildfire Edition
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National Overview
The U.S. remains at Preparedness Level 5, with over 400 active wildfires nationwide and extreme conditions across the West. Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana continue to carry the largest share of large, uncontained incidents. Fuels remain critically dry across the Great Basin and Pacific Northwest, and humidity values again fall into the single digits in many inland areas. Afternoon winds and unstable air support rapid fire spread, with multiple new large fires detected overnight. Heavy smoke extends from Oregon into Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and northern Nevada, with additional smoke drifting into northern California and Colorado. Resource availability remains tight, and fire-weather alerts are active across six states.
Washington
Washington continues to report dozens of active fires, with Okanogan County carrying multiple large incidents. Hot, dry weather persists east of the Cascades, with humidity in the teens and breezy afternoon winds driving active fire behavior. Smoke impacts remain significant across Spokane, Wenatchee, and Yakima. Lightning potential increases across northern and central Washington, raising concern for new ignitions.
- Spokane — upper‑80s, smoke, breezy
- Wenatchee — low‑90s, dry, haze
- Yakima — upper‑80s, dry, afternoon winds
Oregon
Oregon remains the nation’s wildfire epicenter, with more than 50 active fires and several very large incidents in Wheeler, Harney, Malheur, and Baker counties. Extreme fire behavior continues in critically dry fuels, with massive smoke plumes pushing east into Idaho and north into Washington. Afternoon winds increase statewide, and unstable air supports elevated lightning potential across central Oregon.
- Bend — low‑90s, dry, smoke
- Medford — mid‑90s, haze, afternoon winds
- Pendleton — upper‑80s, breezy, smoke impacts
California
California reports nearly 100 active fires, though most remain small. Large‑fire activity is lower than in the Northwest, but hot, dry weather persists across the Central Valley and Sierra foothills. Humidity drops into single digits in inland areas, and smoke from Oregon and Washington continues drifting south into northern California. Fire danger remains high statewide.
- Redding — upper‑90s, smoke, dry
- Chico — mid‑90s, haze, breezy
- Grass Valley — upper‑80s, dry, lightning risk
Idaho
Idaho reports multiple active fires, including large incidents in Washington and Idaho counties. Smoke intrusions from Oregon remain heavy, affecting Boise, Lewiston, and the Clearwater Basin. Hot, dry weather persists, with afternoon winds supporting active fire behavior. Lightning potential increases across central Idaho.
- Boise — low‑90s, smoke, dry
- Lewiston — upper‑80s, haze, breezy
- Idaho Falls — mid‑80s, dry, isolated storms
Montana
Montana reports more than 30 active fires, with new large incidents emerging in western and central Montana. Hot, dry weather continues statewide, with humidity in the teens and breezy conditions driving active fire behavior. Smoke from Idaho and Oregon continues drifting into Missoula and Helena. Lightning remains a concern across central and eastern Montana.
- Missoula — mid‑80s, smoke, dry
- Helena — upper‑80s, haze, breezy
- Billings — upper‑80s, dry, isolated storms
Wyoming
Wyoming reports several active fires, with smoke from Montana and Idaho affecting visibility across the northern half of the state. Hot, dry, and breezy conditions persist, with humidity in the teens and Red Flag Warnings active in multiple counties. Fire behavior remains elevated in grass and brush fuels.
- Casper — low‑90s, dry, breezy
- Cheyenne — upper‑80s, dry, afternoon winds
- Sheridan — mid‑80s, smoke, dry
Nevada
Nevada reports a handful of active fires, but fire danger remains high due to extreme dryness and hot temperatures across the Great Basin. Smoke from Oregon and Idaho continues drifting into northern Nevada. Winds increase through the afternoon, raising concerns for rapid fire spread in open rangeland.
- Elko — upper‑80s, dry, smoke
- Winnemucca — upper‑80s, breezy, haze
- Reno — low‑90s, dry, afternoon winds
Utah
Utah reports multiple active fires, including large incidents in Millard and San Juan counties. Hot, dry, and unstable conditions persist statewide, with humidity in the teens and afternoon winds supporting active fire behavior. Smoke from Idaho and Nevada continues affecting northern Utah.
- Salt Lake City — low‑90s, haze, breezy
- Ogden — upper‑80s, smoke, dry
- St. George — mid‑90s, hot, dry
Colorado
Colorado reports several active fires, including large incidents in Custer County. Hot, dry weather persists across the Front Range and Western Slope. Smoke from Wyoming and Montana continues drifting into northern Colorado. Winds increase through the afternoon, raising concerns for rapid fire spread.
- Denver — upper‑80s, dry, breezy
- Fort Collins — mid‑80s, smoke, haze
- Grand Junction — low‑90s, hot, dry
Arizona
Arizona reports multiple active fires, with hot, dry conditions dominating the state. Humidity remains low, and winds increase through the afternoon. Smoke from northern Arizona incidents continues affecting Flagstaff and Prescott. Lightning potential remains elevated across eastern Arizona.
- Flagstaff — mid‑80s, dry, smoke
- Prescott — upper‑80s, haze, breezy
- Tucson — upper‑90s, hot, dry
New Mexico
New Mexico reports more than 30 active fires, though most remain small. Fire danger remains high due to hot, dry conditions and breezy winds. Smoke from Arizona continues drifting into western New Mexico. Lightning potential remains elevated across central and eastern New Mexico.
- Santa Fe — mid‑80s, dry, breezy
- Albuquerque — upper‑80s, haze, dry
- Gallup — mid‑80s, smoke, dry
Sources: NIFC WFIGS, FireRisk.ai, weatheronthisday.com/wildfires/active