Wildfire — Some Alarming Statistics

Wildfires are raging around the West, and a high percentage of them are in the PIA Western Alliance states. Choking smoke has invaded towns and cities. Smoke blocks local scenery like a looming fog.

So far in 2026 the United States has seen a frightening 48,960 fires. They’ve burned 7.2 million acres. That’s 129% more acreage than the 10-year average. These fires are also 169% more in number than the average seen in the 10-year decade.

Members of Legislatures in most states are now gathering to decide what steps to take to stop the senseless burning. To date the evidence says they aren’t likely to be any more successful than the Legislatures before them.

This is an editorial opinion, but many solutions drummed up by these Legislatures often involve convoluted rules and regulations, and many times include higher taxes and none of which have made a dent in the yearly “wildfire season” that grows longer every year.

The National Interagency Fire Center statistics say as of Sunday, August 16th there were 92 new fires burning in the U.S. The agency says 80 of them are uncontained. Over 28,710 firefighters are battling them.

The biggest impact is in the Northwest where 37 fires burn with zero containment.

Here are the number of fires burning around the nation. Seven of the 15 are in PIA Western Alliance states which are highlighted with an asterisk:

* Oregon — 21

* Washington — 15

* Montana — 8

Colorado — 5

* Idaho — 5

Minnesota — 4

* Nevada — 4

Oklahoma — 3

* New Mexico — 3

Utah — 3

* California — 2

South Dakota — 2

Louisiana — 1

Virginia — 1

Florida — 1

Fires burning in the PIA Western Alliance states listed from most to least:

Oregon

Fires: 21

Acres: 1,468,259

New: 1

Contained: 1

Washington

Fires: 15

Acres: 550,456

New: 0

Contained: 0

Montana

Fires: 8

Acres: 59,810

New: 0

Contained: 0

Idaho

Fires: 5

Acres: 8,791

New: 0

Contained: 1

Nevada

Fires: 4

Acres: 187,074

New: 1

Contained: 0

New Mexico

Fires: 3

Acres: 11,820

New: 1

Contained: 0

California

Fires: 2

Acres: 11,380

New: 0

Contained: 0

Source link: National Interagency Fire Center — https://bit.ly/4qoDIc5