If you’re looking at a map of the Golden State right now, you’re probably asking yourself: are ca fires still burning today, or is the smoke finally clearing? Honestly, the answer depends entirely on the month, the wind, and which part of the state you’re standing in. People used to talk about "fire season" like it was a summer holiday—something that started in July and wrapped up by October. That's just not the reality anymore.
California has moved into a "fire year."
Right now, as we sit in January 2026, the traditional high-heat risks of the Sierra Nevada are dampened by winter moisture, but that doesn't mean the risk is zero. Firefighting crews from CAL FIRE and the U.S. Forest Service are constantly monitoring "holdover" fires or small brush ignitions in the drier southern counties. It’s a weird, persistent anxiety that hangs over the state. You’ve probably noticed that even when the news isn't screaming about a massive plume of smoke over the Grapevine, there are still local alerts popping up on your phone.
Why it feels like California is always on fire
The question of whether are ca fires still burning is complicated by the sheer size of the state. California is basically a continent. While the North might be getting drenched by an atmospheric river, the Inland Empire could be facing 80-degree days with single-digit humidity.
We saw this play out vividly over the last few years. Take the Bridge Fire or the Line Fire from the previous cycles; they lingered for weeks, smoldering in inaccessible drainage basins long after the "forward progress" was stopped. Firefighters call these "zombie fires" sometimes, though more formally they’re just uncontained edges. When the wind picks up, those embers find a reason to live again.
It’s exhausting.
The vegetation in California has evolved to burn, but the frequency is what’s killing us. Look at the data from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. They track incidents year-round. Even in the "off-season," you'll see dozens of small 1-to-10-acre fires that most people never hear about because the response is so fast. But if those crews aren't there? One cigarette or one faulty power line turns a "small incident" into the next headline.
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The role of the Santa Ana and Diablos winds
You can’t talk about whether are ca fires still burning without talking about the winds. This is the secret sauce that makes California fires so much scarier than fires in, say, the Southeast.
In Southern California, the Santa Anas are these hot, dry winds that blow from the desert toward the coast. They suck every bit of moisture out of the chaparral. If a fire is burning—even a small one—and a Santa Ana hits, it acts like a giant blowtorch. Up North, they have the Diablo winds doing the same thing to the Bay Area and the foothills.
How to check the real-time status
If you want to know exactly where the flames are right now, you have to look at a few specific tools. Don't just rely on a Google search for "fire near me" because the results can be laggy.
- Watch Duty: This is arguably the best app out there right now. It’s run by volunteers and former first responders who listen to scanners 24/7. It gives you the "Are ca fires still burning" answer faster than any news station.
- CAL FIRE Incident Map: The official word. If it’s over 10 acres, it’s usually on here.
- InciWeb: This is for fires on federal land, like National Forests. Since about half of California is federal land, this is a huge piece of the puzzle.
Basically, if you see a gray icon on these maps, the fire is "contained" but still "active." This means there is still heat inside the perimeter. It's still burning; it's just not moving.
The "Holdover" phenomenon: When fires survive the winter
Here is something most people don't realize: a fire can "burn" underground.
In heavy timber areas, like the forests around Lake Tahoe or the Mendocino Complex sites, fire can retreat into the root systems or deep piles of pine needles (duff). It can smolder there for months. There have been documented cases where a fire was "put out" in November, only for a plume of smoke to appear in the same spot the following May when the ground dried out.
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So, technically, the answer to are ca fires still burning can be "yes" even when there's snow on the ground. It’s a ghost in the system.
The human cost of the constant smoke
It isn't just about the houses lost. It's the health. The PM2.5 particles from these fires travel thousands of miles. I remember a few years back when the sky in San Francisco turned that eerie, apocalyptic orange. It wasn't because a fire was in the city; it was because the state was burning elsewhere.
Living with this constant threat changes how you move through the world. You keep a "go-bag" by the door. You check the AQI (Air Quality Index) before you go for a run. You buy HEPA filters for your bedroom because you can’t trust the air outside.
Experts like Dr. Mary Prunicki from Stanford’s Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research have been sounding the alarm on this for years. Long-term exposure to this smoke is doing things to our lungs and hearts that we’re only just beginning to quantify. It’s a slow-motion public health crisis that gets refreshed every time a new ignition starts.
Managing the forest: Are we doing enough?
There’s a lot of finger-pointing when it comes to why are ca fires still burning at such a high intensity. Is it climate change? Is it bad forest management?
The reality is a messy mix of both. We spent a hundred years putting out every single fire as fast as possible. This was a mistake. Forests need fire to clear out the underbrush. Because we stopped the natural cycle, our forests are now "overstocked." There are too many trees competing for too little water. When a fire finally does break through, it has enough fuel to jump into the canopy, creating those massive "crown fires" that are impossible to stop.
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We are trying to fix it with prescribed burns and mechanical thinning. But it’s a race against time. The state is trying to treat a million acres a year, but we’re decades behind.
What you should do right now
If you live in or are traveling to California, don't wait for a siren to tell you there's trouble. Awareness is your best defense.
First, sign up for your specific county's emergency alerts. Every county has one—CodeRED, Everbridge, or AlertLA. These are the "source of truth" for evacuation orders.
Second, look at your property. If you have "ladder fuels"—low-hanging branches that allow a ground fire to climb into a tree—cut them. Clear the dry leaves out of your gutters. It sounds like a chore, but these tiny things are often the difference between a house standing and a house burning when the embers start flying.
Third, understand that "contained" doesn't mean "out." When you read a report saying a fire is 90% contained, there are still hundreds of people on the ground doing "mop-up." They are literally digging through dirt to find hot spots. Respect the closures. Just because you don't see flames doesn't mean the area is safe. Falling "hazard trees" and unstable soil are huge killers after the fire passes.
The question of are ca fires still burning will likely always have a "yes" somewhere in the state for the foreseeable future. We've entered an era where we have to co-exist with fire rather than just trying to beat it into submission. It takes a shift in mindset. We aren't just observers of the landscape; we are part of its fuel load, and acting accordingly is the only way to stay safe in the new California reality.
Check your local air quality, keep your gas tank at least half full, and never ignore a red flag warning. The fires might still be burning, but that doesn't mean you have to be caught off guard.
Next Steps for Safety:
- Download the Watch Duty App: It provides the most immediate updates on new ignitions and fire behavior.
- Harden Your Home: Focus on the "Zero to Five Foot Zone" around your house. Remove all flammable vegetation and mulch within five feet of your exterior walls.
- Create a Digital Inventory: Use your phone to video every room in your house and the inside of your closets today. If you ever have to file an insurance claim due to fire, this 5-minute video will be your most valuable asset.