where are the wildfires

Wildfires are currently scattered rather than concentrated in one single disaster zone, with most activity in the southern United States and some elevated risk areas in California and parts of Europe.

Quick Scoop: Where the wildfires are now

1. Big picture (February 2026)

• Overall U.S. fire activity is relatively light , with the national system at a low preparedness level and dozens (not hundreds) of large active fires.

• The most consistently active region right now is the Southern U.S. (notably Oklahoma, Florida, parts of Louisiana and New Mexico) with grass, brush, and timber fires.

• In California , conditions are drier than normal and at least one significant fire (e.g., near Bishop and toward the Nevada border) has already caused evacuations, signaling an early, higher‑risk season.

• In Europe , the burned area so far in 2026 is lower than last year at this time, but the EU’s monitoring agencies are still tracking ongoing and potential events as the season evolves.

Think of it as a patchwork: lots of smaller and mid‑sized fires, a few larger problem fires, and several regions where risk is building even when flames aren’t yet in the headlines.

2. Current U.S. hotspots

Southern Area (highest ongoing activity)

• Oklahoma – Multiple grass and brush fires, some threatening structures, with several large incidents still not fully contained.

• Florida & Gulf states – Repeated new fires in light fuels (grass/brush), flaring up quickly but often contained relatively fast.

• Louisiana & Mississippi – A mix of recent mid‑sized fires (hundreds of acres) and smaller incidents; some are near full containment.

Southwest U.S. (New Mexico, Arizona)

• New Mexico – At least two larger fires in grass and timber that have shown periods of extreme fire behavior (running, torching), in the thousands‑of‑acres range.

California

• An unusually dry winter and windy conditions are boosting risk across the state.
• A notable fire near Bishop (eastern Sierra/Nevada border region) has already triggered evacuations of hundreds of homes, and maps show scattered active incidents in several counties (e.g., Los Angeles, Riverside, Sonoma and others) at different times.

3. Outside the U.S.

• European Union – The official EU fire service reports around hundreds of hectares burned so far in 2026, which is much less than the same period last year (when tens of thousands of hectares had already burned).

• This doesn’t mean no fires; it means fewer large, catastrophic events compared with last year’s early‑season situation.

4. If you want “live” maps and latest news

Official and semi‑official tools update throughout the day but are not true up‑to‑the‑second trackers. For the latest situation, people usually combine:

• A national or regional wildfire map (e.g., national interagency or regional mapping portals) to see active fire dots and perimeters.

• State‑level pages (like a state fire agency’s “Incidents” or “Fire Map” page) for more detail on size, containment, and road or evacuation info.

• News dashboards that aggregate wildfire stories and alerts to understand where major or fast‑moving events are drawing attention and resources.

Story‑wise, this moment in 2026 is that tense “shoulder season” chapter: not the explosive mega‑fire summer yet, but with certain regions—especially the southern U.S. and a drying California—starting to feel like a matchstick waiting for a spark.

5. TL;DR

• Most active wildfires right now: Southern U.S. (Oklahoma, Florida, Gulf states) and parts of New Mexico , with scattered incidents in California.

• Risk is rising in California and some western states due to dry, windy conditions, even when individual fires remain moderate‑sized.

• Europe is currently experiencing lower‑than‑last‑year burned area but remains monitored closely by EU agencies.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.