With wildfire activity intensifying across the country, federal fire officials have raised the National Preparedness Level to Level 4, signaling that firefighting resources are under growing demand nationwide.
The National Interagency Fire Center announced the increase Monday, citing significant fire activity across multiple regions of the country. The agency says several large wildfires are burning at the same time, requiring a substantial commitment of incident management teams and firefighting resources.
As a result, the National Interagency Coordination Center is working with regional coordination centers to prioritize resource requests, with firefighters, aircraft, and equipment being reassigned from areas with lower fire activity to those experiencing the greatest need.
Forecasters also warn that weather conditions in the coming days are expected to support the development of additional large wildfires across multiple regions.
The National Preparedness Level is a five-step system used to measure overall wildfire activity and the availability of firefighting resources across the country. Level 1 indicates minimal national fire activity, while Level 5 represents the highest level of wildfire activity and resource commitment.
The move to Preparedness Level 4 is notable for this time of year. Historically, the national preparedness level averages Level 2 during June and Level 3 during July, making the current level an indication that the 2026 fire season is already running ahead of normal.
While the preparedness level does not necessarily reflect conditions in any one state, it helps determine how firefighting resources are allocated nationwide as new fires emerge.
