1.5 Million Acres Aflame — And Peak Fire Season Is Still Ahead

Federal wildfire risk assessments indicate an elevated fire threat throughout the Pacific Northwest, California, the Southwest, the Rocky Mountains, and the South extending into summer 2026, with over 1.5 million acres already scorched this year — a concerning start to the season. The West's historically low snowpack will lead to diminished river flows and prematurely dried vegetation, while studies show that 74 percent of the western US is already behind schedule for wildfire, following years of fire suppression that have allowed fuel accumulation. Fire officials caution that the more than 20 significant active fires currently raging in Georgia and Florida serve as a forewarning of what the summer months may entail.