FEMA has issued 152 federal declarations of all types in 2026 through early November, and 68 of them were for fires, according to OpenFEMA records. That is more than any other type of incident.
2026 declarations by type
| Incident type | Declarations |
|---|---|
| Fire | 68 |
| Winter storm | 21 |
| Severe storm | 20 |
| Flood | 15 |
| Tropical storm | 10 |
| Hurricane | 5 |
| Typhoon | 4 |
| Straight-line winds | 4 |
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, January 1 to November 6, 2026.
By declaration type, there were 64 fire management declarations, 58 major disasters and 30 emergencies.
Where the fire declarations were
Fire management declarations help states pay to fight wildfires that threaten homes. In 2026 the most were in:
- Oklahoma: 10
- Washington: 9
- Oregon: 8
- Texas: 6
- California, Nevada and Utah: 5 each
On the Southern Plains, dry and windy days can spread grass fires quickly across open land. Washington and Oregon saw many summer fires in August, including the Autumn Lane, Hagen, Wrights Spring and Fielder Mountain fires.
Why fire declarations do not help households
A fire management declaration pays a share of firefighting costs. It does not provide FEMA grants to households. If a fire destroys many homes, the state can ask for a separate major disaster declaration. In 2026, Colorado received one on September 1 for wildfires, flooding and mudslides, and Utah received one on October 7 for the Cottonwood Fire and the flooding and mudslides that followed it.
Burned land often floods. Without plants to slow water down, even moderate rain can bring flash floods and debris flows to areas below a burn scar.
Which counties carry the most wildfire risk
In FEMA’s National Risk Index, only four counties are rated Very High for wildfire: San Diego, Riverside, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties in California. See the full wildfire ranking and our guide to wildfire risk by county.
Questions people ask
Is 2026 an unusual year? Fire management declarations are common every year, since they are the main federal tool for helping states fight large fires. Our decade chart shows how major disasters have changed over time.
Does home insurance cover wildfire? Standard home policies generally cover fire. But in high-risk areas, finding a policy can be harder and more expensive.
Where can I see the latest declarations? On our recent disasters page, updated weekly.