Honestly, when most of us think about wildfires, we picture 100-foot flames swallowing a California pine forest in August. But it’s mid-January 2026, and the map looks a lot different than you might expect. While the "big" fire season is technically months away for most of the country, fires in the US right now are popping up in places that usually aren't on the national radar this early.
It's weird.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), the US has already seen over 870 fires since the calendar flipped to 2026. That is a massive jump compared to this time last year, when we only had a couple hundred. We aren't talking about million-acre behemoths just yet, but the sheer frequency is enough to make anyone in fire management a little twitchy.
Most of the action is concentrated in the Southern and Eastern regions. Kentucky and Oklahoma are currently dealing with uncontained blazes that, while small by Western standards, are proving to be quite stubborn.
The Reality of Fires in the US Right Now
Right now, the National Preparedness Level is at a 1. Basically, that means we have plenty of resources to go around. But don't let the low number fool you into thinking nothing is happening.
The Math Branch Fire in Missouri recently scorched about 700 acres in the Mark Twain National Forest. Over in Kentucky, the Hopkins Fork Fire and the Clay Fork Road-Martin County Fire have been keeping local crews busy. These aren't the dramatic "crown fires" you see on the evening news; they’re often "hardwood litter" fires. They creep through dead leaves and dry grass on the forest floor.
It’s slow. It’s smoky. And if the wind catches it just right, it gets dangerous fast.
In Oklahoma, the Midnight Fire and the Fox Branch Fire are active right as we speak. Texas is also seeing its fair share of activity, with the Madley Fire topping 670 acres before crews started getting a solid handle on it. What’s interesting is that while the West is relatively quiet—California has only reported about a dozen tiny spot fires so far this year—the South is essentially "on" for fire season.
Why the South is Burning in January
You’ve probably heard of La Niña. We are currently in a weak La Niña state, which usually means the southern tier of the US stays warmer and drier than usual.
- The Plains: Oklahoma and Texas are seeing "flanking and backing" fire behavior.
- The Southeast: Florida and the Carolinas are entering a window where significant fire potential is actually "above normal."
- The Front Range: Eastern Colorado is seeing high winds—some over 100 mph recently—which turns any small spark into a major problem instantly.
The NIFC's latest outlook is pretty clear: while the North is mostly frozen and safe, the southern half of the country is looking at a very long, very dry spring.
The New Federal Shakeup
There is a big elephant in the room regarding how we fight these fires. Just this month, the Department of the Interior officially launched the U.S. Wildland Fire Service.
The goal was to take all the different firefighters from the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and Fish and Wildlife and put them under one roof. Sounds efficient, right? Well, it’s complicated.
Congress basically refused to fund it in the latest budget cycle, leaving a $6.5 billion hole. Plus, the U.S. Forest Service—which handles the majority of the country's fire response—isn't even part of this new agency yet. It’s a bit of a mess. If you're wondering why we don't just "fix" the fire problem, this kind of bureaucratic tug-of-war is a huge reason why.
What This Means for the 2026 Season
If you live in places like Oklahoma, Kentucky, or Missouri, the fires in the US right now are a wake-up call. The "off-season" is disappearing.
We are seeing a trend where the total number of fires is way up, even if the total acreage burned isn't record-breaking yet. It’s a death by a thousand cuts. Small fires require resources, money, and exhausted crews.
Actionable Steps for Homeowners
Don't wait for July to think about defensible space.
- Clear the Gutters: It sounds boring, but dry leaves in your gutters are the #1 way houses ignite from embers miles away.
- The 5-Foot Rule: Keep the area within five feet of your foundation completely clear of anything that can burn. No mulch, no bushes, no stacked firewood.
- Check Your Vents: Make sure your attic and crawlspace vents have fine metal mesh (1/8 inch) to keep embers out.
- Sign Up for Alerts: Systems like FIRMS (NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System) allow you to see satellite detections in near real-time.
The situation with fires in the US right now is manageable, but the data suggests we are heading into a very active year for the Southern Plains and the Southeast. Keep an eye on local humidity levels and wind advisories. When the "red flag" warnings go up in January, believe them.
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The best time to prepare was last fall. The second best time is today. Stay updated with the NIFC Incident Management Situation Reports, which are usually released every Friday during these lower-activity months.