BOISE, Idaho, July 4, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah far and away leads the nation in the amount of wildfire acreage currently burning, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
In the latest statistics from the Boise-based agency, Utah as of Thursday had 291,310 acres ablaze from six fires, with none of them yet contained.
Only Alaska, among the 12 states listed as currently burning, had more fires than Utah, with 15. but the acreage was only 15,981. Colorado was just behind Utah with five fires, burning 98,314 acres. Arizona was next with 33,077 acres from two fires, followed by Nevada’s three fires and 30,379 acres.
Utah accounted for almost two-thirds of the nation’s 501,842 acres currently hosting wildfires, according to the NIFC listings. Only two other states, New Mexico and Washington, topped 10,000 acres.
“Since yesterday, 109 new fires were reported nationwide,” the NIFC said Friday. Currently, firefighters are working to suppress and contain 41 large fires across the country.
So far this year, 36,594 fires have burned more than 3.2 million acres across the United States, the agency said.
“Tomorrow is the biggest fireworks holiday of the year. Unsurprisingly, every year wildfires are ignited by fireworks, especially during years like this, which find critically dry vegetation and extreme heat widespread across the country.
“Fireworks have no place on public lands, and even on your own property, must be handled with serious care.
“Did you know that sparklers, which are often thought of as child-safe, burn as hot as 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit and can cause third-degree burns? Do not accidentally cause the fire that endangers your community!”
Learn more about firework safety here: https://www.nfpa.org/…/Seasonal-fire-causes/Fireworks
