The National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group moved to national preparedness level 1 (PL 1) this morning at 7:30 a.m. MDT. Fuels and fire weather conditions continue to improve across most geographic areas. Adequate resources are available and mobilization of these resources through the National Interagency Coordination Center has been minimal.
Currently, 8 large wildfires have burned 277,959 acres in 7 states. Most of these wildfires are in the eastern United States, with one in California. About 3,800 wildland firefighters and support personnel are assigned to incidents, including 1 complex incident management team, 63 crews, 324engines, and 20 helicopters. Wildland firefighters and support personnel continue to assist with hurricane response and recovery in North Carolina.
Wildlands need fire to recycle nutrients and create new life. Like medicine, prescribed fires improve the health of the land. These fires burn hazardous fuels and help prevent catastrophic wildfires that damage watershed and threaten communities. They reduce old vegetation to stimulate plant and grass growth and improve wildlife habitat. Prescribed fires are ignited under carefully planned conditions to produce a burn that benefits nature and keeps us safe. Contact your local land management agency to find out more about prescribed fires in your area.
Weather
A cold front will move through the Mississippi Valley today, with widespread showers and scattered thunderstorms in the Lower Mississippi, Tennessee, and Ohio Valleys. Widespread light to moderate rain will fall across the Upper Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes. Mild and dry conditions amid northwesterly winds will continue across the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England creating elevated fire weather conditions. A Pacific storm will move into the Northwest during the day and into northern California, the northern Great Basin, and northern Rockies overnight. Moderate to heavy precipitation is forecast near and west of the Cascades with lighter precipitation into the northern Intermountain West. Snow levels will start near or above 6,000 feet and fall to 5,000 feet behind the cold front, with heavy snow in the higher elevations of the Cascades. Cold and dry conditions are forecast for much of Alaska, while trade winds begin to increase across Hawai’i with scattered windward showers.
Daily statistics
Number of new large fires or emergency response * New fires are identified with an asterisk
3
States currently reporting large fires:
Total number of large fires under full suppression strategies
