US National Interagency Fire Center Wildfire Update for May 1

The US National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) reported that 69 new fires were reported on Thursday, April 30, and 20 uncontained large fires were burning on Friday, May 1.

The National Fire Preparedness Level remains at 2 out of 5. Nearly 2,400 personnel are assigned nationwide, along with two Complex Incident Management Teams supporting response efforts.

The Southern Area remains the most active region at Preparedness Level 4, with ongoing incidents in Georgia and Florida where crews are working to protect communities, infrastructure, and natural resources. In the Southwest, the Hummingbird Fire in New Mexico highlights how quickly fire behavior can shift amid wind and dry fuels.

Daily Statistics

As of Friday, there are 17 large wildfires or emergency responses ongoing, with 1 fire contained.

Florida leads with 9 active fires; New Mexico and South Dakota each have 2; and Alabama, Colorado, Montana, and North Carolina each have 1.

The updated year-to-date comparison is as follows:

• Year-to-date through May 1, 24,222 wildfires have been reported, burning 1,847,151 acres.
• During the same period last year, 22,759 wildfires were reported, burning 988,319 acres.
• The 10-year average (2016–25) for the same period is 16,271 wildfires and 958,863 acres burned.