The National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group decreased the national preparedness level to PL 2 this morning. With more favorable fuels and fire weather conditions, significant wildland fire activity continues to decrease in multiple geographic areas. Resource ordering through the National Interagency Coordination Center has also declined. Good availability of national shared resources is expected to continue.
Nationally, 13 large wildfires are currently active and have burned 1,064,187 acres. About 4,000 wildland firefighters and support personnel are assigned to incidents, including 5 complex incident management teams, 51 crews, 276 engines, and 43 helicopters.
Wildland firefighters and support personnel continue to assist with hurricane relief efforts in North Carolina. Two Canadian crews are assisting with suppression efforts in the Great Basin area. Visit our 2024 Canada Support Flickr album to see photos of the crews.
Since January 1, 46,437 wildfires have burned 7,984,032 acres. This is below the 10-year average of 49,986 wildfires and above the average acres burned of 6,411,522. People have caused 40,100 wildfires this year, compared to 6.282 lightning-ignited wildfires. The states with the most human-caused wildfires are California, Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Georgia. As we head into November, It's imperative we all do our part to prevent wildfires.
Weather
Strong winds will develop ahead of a cold front, with southerly sustained winds of 20-40 mph and gusts of 35-60 mph. However, relative humidity is forecast to increase ahead of the front, especially in much of Texas and Oklahoma. The driest conditions with relative humidity of 10-20% are forecast near the dry line in the southern High Plains of New Mexico and Colorado, while marginally low humidity of 20-30% continues in Kansas and Nebraska. Elevated winds of 20-30 mph gusting to 30-45 mph amid humidity of 15-30% will also spread into the Mid-Mississippi Valley and Lower Great Lakes. Moisture return is expected to increase overnight, with showers and isolated thunderstorms developing along the front from central Texas and Oklahoma north-northeast into the northern Plains and Upper Mississippi Valley. Mainly dry conditions will continue in the Southeast but relative humidity will be elevated, while southerly flow off the Atlantic brings increased moisture to the Northeast, with light showers possible for the Adirondacks and northern New England. In the West, showers, with snow above 6,000 to 7,000 feet will continue in much of the central Rockies into southern Montana, with drier conditions in California and Nevada. Another Pacific storm will begin to move into the Northwest overnight with moderate precipitation spreading into the Cascades.
Daily statistics
Number of new large fires or emergency response * New fires are identified with an asterisk
5
States currently reporting large fires:
Total number of large fires under full suppression strategies