Fire danger across the United States remains at heightened levels as we move through mid-May. The National Interagency Fire Center reports that wildfire potential is especially elevated in the Southwest, Southern California, central Florida, and the Northern Plains. These conditions are driven by persistent warm temperatures, dry air, and gusty winds which together create an environment primed for fire ignition and rapid spread. In southwest Texas, temperatures have soared up to one hundred ten degrees Fahrenheit with relative humidity dipping into the single digits, further increasing the risk. Across interior Alaska, dry air continues with humidity as low as twenty percent, though winds are beginning to ease. Meanwhile, breezy trade winds in Hawaii are leading to more frequent showers, reducing fire danger in some windward areas.

Minnesota has faced an especially severe fire situation this past week, with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources issuing red flag warnings for up to sixty-five counties due to extreme fire risk. Multiple warnings in the first half of May underscore the widespread, persistent danger. Red flag warnings mean that fires can start easily and spread rapidly under the current conditions, and officials have urged residents to refrain from burning and to stay alert for updates.

In North Carolina, the Croatan National Forest’s Black Swamp Fire reached eighty-five percent containment as of May seventeenth, according to the US Forest Service. While containment efforts are progressing, the fire serves as a reminder of the ongoing risk in eastern woodlands where dry spells and windy weather can quickly cause wildfires to expand and threaten both property and natural resources.

New Mexico has also seen new fire starts, including the Cinder Cone Fire that began on May eleventh and the South Peak Fire in the Sandia Mountains. The New Mexico Fire Information site highlights how quickly conditions can shift, with small fires growing in size when humidity falls and winds pick up. May is recognized as National Wildfire Awareness Month, and agencies are leveraging this moment to encourage communities to prepare and take preventive action.

According to the National Fire News outlook, fire risk will remain variable through the remainder of May, with the potential for significant fires increasing as temperatures climb and dry periods persist. In the Midwest, areas from Iowa to lower Michigan are experiencing elevated conditions driven by warm weather and low humidity. The National Weather Service also reports that showers and thunderstorms, especially ahead of cold fronts in the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley, can temporarily dampen fire risk but may be followed by renewed danger as conditions dry out again.

Emerging patterns this season include earlier and more intense fire weather warnings in northern states, persistent dryness in the Southwest, and a continuing push for communities nationwide to adopt fire-adapted strategies. Experts note that human activity remains a leading cause of fire ignitions, especially with more people living in wildland-urban interface zones. National efforts now focus on prevention, adaptation, and rapid response as the US faces another challenging fire year.