Wildfire Tracker by ZIP Code
See every active wildland fire within ~150 miles of any U.S. ZIP code — size, containment, and discovery date from live National Interagency Fire Center data — plus fire weather alerts and major fires burning worldwide.
Understanding Wildfire Risk in America
Wildfire data on this page comes from the National Interagency Fire Center's public incident feed — the same system federal and state agencies use to coordinate firefighting — refreshed continuously as incidents are reported and updated. Worldwide events come from NASA's Earth Observatory Natural Event Tracker, and fire weather alerts come live from the National Weather Service.
Reading Fire Data: Acres and Containment
A fire's acreage tells you its footprint; containment tells you the fight's progress. "40% contained" means firefighters have secured control lines around 40% of the fire's perimeter — not that 40% of it is out. A large fire at high containment can be less concerning than a small fire at 0% during dangerous weather. Discovery date matters too: a fire that grew 10,000 acres in two days behaves very differently from one that reached the same size over a month.
Red Flag Warnings: The Alert That Precedes the Fire
A Red Flag Warning means weather conditions — typically the combination of low humidity, strong winds, and dry fuels — could cause any new ignition to spread rapidly. It's issued before fires start, which makes it the most actionable alert on this page: avoid outdoor burning, secure trailer chains that can spark, and know that any fire that does start will move fast. Wildfire risk isn't limited to California; Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, and the Carolinas all rank among the states with the most wildfires annually.
Wildfire and Where You Live
If you're researching an area — especially in the wildland-urban interface, where neighborhoods meet undeveloped land — fire history affects home insurance availability and cost in a growing number of states. Pair this tool with our ZIP Code Search, Flood, and Earthquake tools for the full hazard picture, and see our Data & Methodology page for exactly where every number comes from.