US Wildfires Hit Highest Acreage Burned in a Decade
Summary
In 2026, wildfires have burned over 8.3 million acres in the United States, marking the highest total in at least 10 years. Firefighters are still battling large fires, especially in the Pacific Northwest states like Oregon and Washington, despite some recent cooler weather.Key Facts
- More than 8.3 million acres have burned in 2026 across the U.S., the largest area affected in a decade.
- Fire crews have responded to 53,030 wildfires nationwide so far this year.
- The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) raised the national preparedness level to its highest during summer due to fire activity.
- Oregon has the most acres burned at about 1.2 million, followed by Washington with nearly 400,000 acres.
- By late August 2026, over 7.7 million acres had burned compared to 4 million acres in the same period in 2025.
- As of early September, 78 large fires are still active with nearly 18,000 firefighters working on containment.
- Major fires include the Big Grass Fire in Oregon at 578,637 acres (94% contained) and the Crosswhite Fire in Oregon at 342,923 acres (92% contained).
- Despite some cooler weather, fire officials warn that dry conditions and the risk of new fires remain high in many parts of the country.
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