as of March 20, 2026 at 7:30 a.m. MDT (on a scale from 1 to 5)
Current hours for the National Fire Information Center are
(MST) 8:00 am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday
208-387-5050
This report is currently updated on Fridays.
Please check the IMSR for more information.
March 27, 2026
Across the nation, there are currently 51 uncontained large fires, with 2,331 personnel assigned to incidents. On March 20, 2026, the National Preparedness Level increased to 2 (PL2), signaling that while overall demand for resources remains manageable, fire activity is becoming more coordinated at the national level. Several geographic areas are experiencing increased activity and are beginning to draw on national resources to support incident objectives.
There are two Fuels and Fire Behavior Advisories: one for the Northern and Central Great Plains, where historically dry fuels are driving extreme rates of fire spread and behavior not typically seen in March; and another for the Central and Southern Great Plains, where above-normal to exceptional grass loads are widespread. Dry and unusually hot weather expected through the remainder of March will cause these abundant fuels to become historically dry for this time of year.
The 2026 national fire year themes focus on keeping firefighters, support personnel, and the public safe, working together to fight wildfires, using new technology, understanding how homes and wildfires are connected, reducing smoke impacts, and being responsible when enjoying public lands. https://www.nifc.gov/fire-information/national-fire-year-themes
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Breezy and dry northerly winds will create elevated conditions across most of the Plains today, while strong easterly winds are expected across central and eastern New Mexico. A cold front will move through the Appalachians, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast, but precipitation will be light and mostly in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Breezy southwest winds will develop ahead of the front and create elevated conditions across the Piedmont. Hot temperatures will continue west of the Divide in the Southwest, as well. After the cold front moves through tonight, very dry air will spread across much of the South, Appalachians, and East Coast with minimum relative humidity of 8-25% Saturday. Breezy north to northeast winds will also develop across much of the Lower Mississippi Valley and Southeast creating elevated to critical conditions. The very dry air will persist into Sunday, but winds will be lighter. To the west across the Plains, breezy and dry southerly return flow is expected to create areas of elevated conditions over the weekend. Temperatures will warm across the West once again this weekend, but not to the extreme levels seen earlier this month. In addition, limited moisture will move into the Southwest Sunday, with isolated to scattered mixed wet and dry thunderstorms expected which may result in many new ignitions. Below normal temperatures and dry conditions will continue across Alaska, while breezy trade winds today across Hawai’i become locally strong over the weekend.
| Number of new large fires or emergency response * New fires are identified with an asterisk |
14 | States currently reporting large fires: |
| Total number of large fires | 44 | |
| Acres from all active large fires | 987,989 | |
| Fires contained | 8 |
| 2026 (1/1/26-3/27/26) | Fires: 15,436 | Acres: 1,510,973 |
| 2025 (1/1/25-3/27/25) | Fires: 14,849 | Acres: 707,228 |
| 2024 (1/1/24-3/27/24) | Fires: 4,874 | Acres: 1,653,385 |
| 2023 (1/1/23-3/27/23) | Fires: 7,268 | Acres: 106,115 |
| 2022 (1/1/22-3/27/22) | Fires: 14,427 | Acres: 516,131 |
| 2021 (1/1/21-3/27/21) | Fires: 9,484 | Acres: 226,907 |
| 2020 (1/1/20-3/27/20) | Fires: 6,049 | Acres: 121,776 |
| 2019 (1/1/19-3/27/19) | Fires: 4,849 | Acres: 113,461 |
| 2018 (1/1/18-3/27/18) | Fires: 10,592 | Acres: 423,125 |
| 2017 (1/1/17-3/27/17) | Fires: 12,841 | Acres: 2,159,306 |
| 2016 (1/1/16-3/27/16) | Fires: 8,477 | Acres: 707,841 |
| 2016-2025 | Fires: 9,195 | Acres: 664,792 |
Alabama
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College Drive | Alabama Forestry Commission | ST | 708 | 75 | Twenty-four miles east of Pineapple, AL | |
| Twin Creek | Alabama Forestry Commission | ST | 464 | 78 | Twenty-one miles east of Grady, AL |
Colorado
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Fort Carson Army Base | DoD | 7,385 | 61 | Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests | |
| * Turkey | Huerfano County | CNTY | 638 | 90 | Thirteen miles southeast of Colorado City, CO |
Florida
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 139 | National Forests in Florida | USFS | 6,043 | 50 | One mile north of Wilma, FL | |
| Hancock | Florida Forest Service | ST | 351 | 90 | Twenty-one miles northeast of Lakecity, FL | |
| Mill Pond | National Forests in Florida | USFS | 1,752 | 70 | Three miles south of Telogia, FL | |
| Northwest | Seminole Tribe | BIA | 309 | 75 | Ten miles east of Harker, FL |
Georgia
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk Treat Mountain | Georgia Forestry Commission | ST | 606 | 70 | Two miles south of Esom Hill, GA | |
| * Rich Mountain | Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest | USFS | 250 | 100 |
Kentucky
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| * Hensley Cemetery | Kentucky Division of Forestry | ST | 180 | 90 | Four miles southeast of Pathfork, KY |
Missouri
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| * White Hollow | Mark Twain National Forest | USFS | 150 | 35 | Fifteen miles southeast of Salem, MO |
Montana
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kane | Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area | NPS | 1,915 | 75 |
Nebraska
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| * Ashby | Nebraska Forest Service | ST | 37,150 | 0 | 2 miles southwest of Ashby | 719-283-6829 |
| Cottonwood | Nebraska Forest Service | ST | 129,253 | 98 | 5 miles southwest of Brady, Nebraska | 719-283-6829 |
| * Minor | Nebraska Forest Service | ST | 13,805 | 1 | Five miles south of Hyannis, NE |
New Mexico
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unified | Bernalillo District | ST | 300 | 25 | Three miles northeast of Jarales, NM |
North Carolina
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poplar | National Forests in North Carolina | USFS | 350 | 40 | One mile north of Poplar, NC | |
| Tarkiln Ridge | National Forests in North Carolina | USFS | 400 | 40 | Five miles northwest of Hayesville, NC | |
| * Soapstone | North Carolina Forest Service | ST | 190 | 100 | Ten miles southwest of Wilkesboro, NC |
Oklahoma
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbed Wire | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 600 | 55 | Ten miles north of Sallisaw, OK | |
| * Big Toe | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 1,208 | 70 | Eight miles northwest of Wilburton, OK | |
| Buffalo Pasture | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 406 | 50 | Four miles north of Christie, OK | |
| * Cedar Canyon | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 620 | 55 | Three miles north of Hitchcock, OK | |
| Coleman Hollow | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 104 | 65 | Five miles south of Locust Grove, OK | |
| Horseshoe 2 | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 212 | 50 | Three miles southeast of Pickens, OK | |
| Iron Post | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 1,309 | 50 | Five miles southeast of Locust Grove, OK | |
| Jumping Juniper | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 623 | 90 | Three miles south of Vici, OK | |
| Luna Branch | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 1,279 | 65 | Seventeen miles northeast of Tahlequah, OK | |
| Middle Creek | Okmulgee Field Office | BIA | 1,935 | 80 | Five miles west of Hannah, OK | |
| Old Kentucky | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 700 | 75 | Eleven miles north of Sallisaw, OK | |
| Powerline | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 375 | 85 | Nine miles west of Stilwell, OK | |
| Pumpkin Hollow | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 1,126 | 80 | Four miles northwest of Proctor, OK | |
| * Shady Grove | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 600 | 80 | Three miles north of Hulbert, OK | |
| Sonny Glle | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 1,217 | 70 | Two miles northwest of Nicut, OK | |
| South Frazier Creek | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 112 | 75 | Four miles north of Sobol, OK | |
| Starwood Lane | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 240 | 80 | Eight miles west of Atoka, OK | |
| Zipperer | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 1,216 | 80 | Three miles southeast of Hartshorne, OK | |
| 90 Degrees | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 516 | 100 | Eight miles north of Wilburton, OK | |
| * Cross Timber | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 857 | 100 | Two miles northeast of Asher, OK | |
| East Wind | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 125 | 100 | Eight miles north of Wilburton, OK | |
| Nickle | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 180 | 100 | Four miles west of Watts, OK | |
| Oxbow | Oklahoma Division of Forestry | ST | 2,068 | 100 | Three miles northeast of Boley, OK |
South Carolina
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bullhead | Francis Marion & Sumter National Forests | USFS | 425 | 60 | Seven miles south of Cordesville, SC | |
| Woodlawn | Francis Marion & Sumter National Forests | USFS | 632 | 65 | Six miles north of Evans, SC |
South Dakota
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qury | South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression | ST | 9,168 | 90 | 2 miles SE of Custer, SD | 6056738155 |
| * Timber | Pine Ridge Agency | BIA | 450 | 45 | Two miles north of Wounded Knee, SD |
Texas
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| * Bell | Texas A & M Forest Service | ST | 450 | 35 | 3.5 miles north of Dickens, TX | 979-255-0591 |
| Hutchinson | Texas A & M Forest Service | ST | 2,937 | 90 | Two and a half miles northeast of Sanford, Texas in Hutchinson County | 806-220-5156 |
| Warthog | National Forests And Grasslands In Texas | USFS | 815 | 95 | Seven miles northwest of Groveton, TX |
Virginia
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilligan's Island | Virginia Department of Forestry | ST | 350 | 60 | Three miles east of Blackwater, VA |
West Virginia
| Fire | Unit | Agency | Size | % Ctn | Location | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| * Right Fork | West Virginia Division of Forestry | ST | 140 | 100 |