Wildfire Report
Daily Tech Reader - Wildfire Edition
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National Overview
National Overview
The U.S. remains at Preparedness Level 5, with 94 uncontained large fires burning across the country and 30,419 personnel assigned nationally, including 645 crews, 1,870 engines, and 226 helicopters. NIFC reports 3,629,723 acres burned on large fires, a figure that continues to understate the true cumulative season total as mapping in the Northwest lags fire growth.
The Northwest remains the dominant story nationally, with 44 uncontained large fires in the region alone. Breezy conditions persist in the Cascade gaps, the northern Great Basin, and portions of the central and northern Rockies, with gusts up to 30 mph, though winds are lighter than Saturday in eastern Washington and much of eastern Oregon.
Isolated mixed wet and dry thunderstorms will pose a risk for new ignitions from the eastern Sierra through the central Great Basin to the West Slope, with hot temperatures of 95 to 102°F and low relative humidity of 5 to 15 percent. No significant rain is forecast for the next seven to ten days across the Northwest.
Washington
Washington carries 20 active large incidents totaling more than 516,976 acres. The three fires commanding the most attention remain in Okanogan and Chelan counties. The Sinlahekin fire has burned 137,611 acres at 34% containment. The Kaiser Canyon fire stands at 138,268 acres and has reached 62% containment. The Little Giant fire in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has grown to 97,539 acres and remains only 2% contained, with extreme fire behavior including crowning, long-range spotting, and uphill runs, and numerous structures and critical infrastructure threatened.
The Nunamaker Road fire, with active running and flanking behavior, and the Little Goose fire in Columbia County, which showed extreme wind-driven behavior Saturday, are both uncontained. The Three Queens fire near Snoqualmie Pass is also active and uncontained, with a CIMT mobilizing.
Winds are lighter than Saturday's worst but breezy westerly flow continues today through the Cascade gaps, and smoke and haze remain widespread across eastern portions of the state.
- Wenatchee — near 92, dry, patchy smoke, northwest breezes to 20 mph
- Spokane — near 88, widespread smoke and haze, light southwest winds
- Okanogan — upper-80s, smoke, breezy
Oregon
Oregon leads all states with 23 active large incidents consuming more than 1,821,328 acres — approaching and in some measures already exceeding the state's all-time record. The Big Grass fire in Malheur County remains the single largest active incident in the country at 541,079 acres and 41% contained as of August 10. The Rowe Creek Complex in the Prineville District has reached 366,617 acres at 79% containment, and the Coleman Creek fire in the Burns District is at 308,721 acres and 89% contained.
The Grasshopper fire on the Mt. Hood National Forest is at 54,223 acres and only 23% contained, with active flanking, uphill runs, and short-range spotting. The Wrights Spring fire in the Fremont-Winema National Forest has grown dramatically to 23,394 acres with zero containment, exhibiting extreme fire behavior with crowning, short crown runs, and long-range spotting, with numerous structures and critical infrastructure threatened and evacuations in effect.
The Hagen fire in the Umatilla National Forest is at 42,699 acres with only 11% containment, and the Paradise fire has grown to 2,927 acres with zero containment.
Breezy westerly flow through the Cascade gaps continues today, with gusty winds and very low relative humidity keeping fire danger elevated across eastern Oregon.
- Pendleton — low-80s, very dry, continued gusty winds
- Bend — low-80s, dry, breezy
- Medford — upper-90s, hot, dry
California
California reports 5 active large incidents totaling 13,623 acres — substantially lower in acreage than Oregon or Washington. The Gann fire in Tuolumne-Calaveras County remains the largest at 10,374 acres and 60% contained, followed by the Ridge fire in Los Angeles County at 1,108 acres and 54% contained, and the new Buzzard fire in Kern County at 895 acres. A new fire, the MP18, sparked near Hoopa in Humboldt County and is showing extreme fire behavior with uphill runs and crowning, with residences threatened and a CIMT mobilizing.
Isolated mixed wet and dry thunderstorms are forecast today from the eastern Sierra through the central Great Basin to the West Slope, with temperatures of 95 to 102°F and relative humidity in the single digits to low teens. Overnight humidity recovery has been poor across the northern interior, keeping fuels critically receptive.
- Redding — near 105, extreme heat, very dry
- Chico — low-100s, hot, dry
- South Lake Tahoe — upper-80s, dry, isolated dry lightning risk
Idaho
Idaho carries 9 active incidents totaling 173,064 acres. The Tartar fire in the Boise District remains the largest at 158,027 acres and 87% contained, with active flanking, torching, and smoldering. The MM115 Hwy 20 fire in Elmore County grew dramatically to 4,936 acres — up from roughly 300 on Saturday — and is only 10% contained, with running, flanking, and wind-driven behavior, and structures and communication infrastructure threatened.
The Upper Smith fire in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest is at 3,222 acres and 32% contained, with flanking, torching, and short crown runs. A new Lake fire sparked in the Payette National Forest with active behavior and is uncontained.
NIFC's fuels and fire behavior advisory for Southwest Idaho remains in effect today.
- Boise — low-90s, hot, dry
- Lewiston — upper-80s, smoke, breezy
- Twin Falls — low-90s, hot, dry
Montana
Montana reports 10 active large incidents covering 35,516 acres. The Sand Creek fire in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest leads at 8,890 acres and only 1% contained, exhibiting extreme fire behavior with running, group torching, and spotting, with numerous structures threatened and evacuations in effect. The Silvertip fire in the Flathead National Forest has reached 6,272 acres and remains uncontained. The Skillet fire on the Flathead National Forest is at 3,227 acres and 11% contained, with group torching, spotting, and railroad infrastructure threatened.
The Moose fire in Beaverhead-Deerlodge grew to 3,544 acres overnight and remains uncontained, while the Bobcat Lakes fire is at 5,514 acres with zero containment and a CIMT mobilizing.
Hot, dry conditions with afternoon winds support active behavior across western and central Montana, and smoke from regional fires continues to affect visibility across much of the state.
- Missoula — mid-80s, smoke, dry
- Helena — upper-80s, dry, afternoon winds
- Great Falls — upper-80s, dry, breezy
Wyoming
Wyoming's large fire footprint remains concentrated around the Bare fire in the Bridger-Teton National Forest at 443 acres and zero containment, with most other incidents well under the large-fire threshold. The Bare fire is exhibiting active behavior with flanking, group torching, and short-range spotting, with structures and energy infrastructure threatened.
Dry fuels and afternoon winds remain the principal ignition and spread concerns across central and northern Wyoming, and regional smoke continues to reduce visibility across portions of the state.
- Casper — upper-80s, dry, breezy
- Sheridan — mid-80s, haze, dry
- Lander — upper-80s, dry, afternoon winds
Nevada
Nevada carries 3 active large incidents totaling 97,674 acres. The Mouse Meadow fire in Nye County is at 51,000 acres and 65% contained, with flanking and backing behavior and evacuations in effect. The New Pass fire in Churchill County stands at 37,899 acres and 75% contained.
A new and concerning fire, the Ward fire in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest near Ely, has reached 8,775 acres at 35% containment, with a CIMT assigned. NIFC's fuels and fire behavior advisory for Eastern Nevada and Central Utah remains in effect, with persistent hot and dry conditions and poor overnight humidity recovery.
Afternoon winds increase fire spread potential across Great Basin grass and brush fuels.
- Elko — upper-80s, dry, breezy
- Winnemucca — low-90s, hot, dry
- Reno — mid-90s, hot, afternoon winds
Utah
Utah reports 2 active large incidents totaling 4,400 acres on the large-fire list, though the state's cumulative acreage from all active fires remains significant. The Widemouth 2 fire in Millard County remains a major concern at 114,957 acres and only 27% contained, with extreme fire behavior including crowning, group torching, and long-range spotting, and numerous structures and critical infrastructure threatened.
The Black Canyon fire in the Manti-La Sal National Forest is at 3,200 acres and uncontained, with uphill runs, torching, and short-range spotting. The Rocky Canyon fire, a new start in Morgan County, is at 1,200 acres and uncontained, with active running, spotting, and crowning.
NIFC's fuels and fire behavior advisory for Central Utah is in effect today, reflecting critically dry conditions and poor overnight recovery.
- Salt Lake City — mid-90s, hot, dry
- Provo — low-90s, dry, afternoon winds
- Cedar City — low-to-mid 90s, hot, very dry
Colorado
Colorado has 6 active large incidents totaling 157,782 acres. The Aspen Acres fire in Custer County remains the largest at 101,965 acres and 72% contained, now showing only minimal backing and creeping behavior. The Gold Mountain fire on the Grand Mesa is at 39,532 acres and 90% contained.
The Elk fire — also on the Grand Mesa, seven miles northwest of Lake City — is more actively burning at 6,760 acres and 36% containment, with a transfer of command between CIMTs occurring today. The Willow fire near Leadville has grown to 7,534 acres at 67% containment.
Temperatures will approach or exceed 100°F today across lower elevations of the Western Slope, with afternoon winds and low humidity keeping fire weather conditions elevated. Smoke from regional fires is producing intermittent haze across northern and western portions of the state.
- Grand Junction — upper-90s, hot, dry
- Pueblo — upper-80s, dry, breezy
- Gunnison — mid-80s, dry, afternoon winds
Arizona
Arizona's large-fire footprint is limited to a single incident on the IMSR: the Butte fire in the San Carlos Agency at 670 acres and 65% contained.
Monsoon thunderstorm activity remains the primary variable today. Wetter storms will be scattered near and south of the Mogollon Rim, while isolated mixed wet and dry thunderstorms are forecast in the southern Great Basin to northern Arizona, where higher relative humidity minima of 10 to 25 percent will help reduce overall ignition efficiency.
Thunderstorm outflow winds can still produce sudden and erratic behavior on existing incidents, and the potential for new lightning ignitions in dry fuels away from storm cores cannot be ruled out.
- Flagstaff — low-80s, isolated storms, breezy
- Prescott — upper-80s, hot, isolated storms
- Tucson — around 100, hot, isolated storms
New Mexico
New Mexico shows 4 active large incidents with 1,627 total acres across multiple counties. The Frijoles fire in the Santa Fe National Forest has grown to 1,000 acres with zero containment, burning in steep terrain five miles west of Sierra Mosca within the Pecos Wilderness, with active short crown runs, spotting, and flanking, and residences and communication infrastructure threatened. The Johnson fire in the Gila National Forest is at 330 acres and uncontained.
Lightning remains an active ignition concern, particularly where storms produce little rainfall, and thunderstorm outflows can generate sudden wind shifts near existing incidents.
Mostly isolated mixed wet and dry storms are forecast in and near the higher terrain of New Mexico today.
- Santa Fe — mid-80s, dry, isolated storms
- Albuquerque — low-90s, hot, breezy
- Gallup — mid-80s, dry, isolated storms
Sources: NIFC/NICC Incident Management Situation Report (Aug 9, 2026), NIFC Fire Information, WFIGS, FireRisk.ai, National Weather Service, The Weather Channel