Wildfires have already scorched nearly 65,000 acres across California in 2026, putting the state on pace to exceed recent seasonal averages well before the peak summer months. The combined year-to-date total from CAL FIRE and the U.

But an ominous new trend is reshaping forest fire behavior. Not only have the number and size of fires grown in recent decades, but fires are burning hotter and more intensely now, and causing more lasting damage to forests.

Northern California is expected to experience a steady warming and drying trend through early summer, with fuel receptiveness increasing as seasonal curing progresses.

A large wildfire has burned a third of Santa Rosa Island in California’s Channel Islands National Park — an area home to dozens of rare plants and animals, including some found nowhere else in the world.

Three wildfires have burned thousands acres this week in Southern California and triggered evacuation orders and warnings for tens of thousands of residents in Ventura and Riverside counties. The fires blanketed widespread parts of the region with smoke,

The Putah Fire, which started as a prescribed brush fire, burned over 800 acres as firefighters attempted to get the blaze under control, with it continuing to move through California's Yolo County hills near the town of Winters.

A new wildfire was reported today at 9:35 a.m. on State Route 140, South of Lincoln Blvd, Atwater in Merced County, California. Since its discovery four hours ago, Lincoln Fire has burned 616.2 acres. 30 firefighters have been assigned to respond to the blaze.

The Aspen Acres Fire continues to burn out of control in Pueblo and Custer counties.

Colorado's Aspen Acres Fire has doubled in size over 24 hours, forcing evacuations and prompting air quality warnings.

Rocky Fire initially started 3:30 p.m. June 23 in South of Delta Lake, Modoc in Modoc County, California. Since its discovery 21 hours ago, it has burned 276 acres. At this time, there is no information available on the containment of the fire.