Wildfire Outlooks & Predictions

Current Fire Environment Conditions – Summer 2026

June 15, 2026

Tennessee has entered the summer growing season, and current fire environment conditions remain favorable across much of the state. Recent rainfall events have provided widespread moisture, soil moisture levels are generally adequate, and vegetation green-up has reached 100 percent statewide.

While conditions are currently supportive of prescribed burning activities, landowners and practitioners should continue to monitor local fire environment factors before conducting any burn. Soil moisture, recent rainfall, weather forecasts, and emerging drought conditions can all influence fire behavior, even during the growing season. Those conducting growing-season prescribed burns are encouraged to plan appropriately by developing and following burn plans, providing notifications to adjacent landowners, and ensuring adequate resources are available to safely accomplish burn objectives.

Although burn permits are not required at this time, permits remain available for those who would like additional documentation of their planned burning activities. You can obtain a burn permit online by visiting www.BurnSafeTN.org.

Historically, fire danger begins to increase during late summer as fuels and soils begin to dry. Conditions often transition in August and September, leading into Tennessee's fall fire season, which begins October 15.

The Tennessee Division of Forestry will continue to monitor conditions across the state and provide updates to the Fire Environment page as we approach the fall fire season.

REMINDER: The link for the TN drought monitor is here; we are in some form of abnormally dry to extreme drought throughout the state. Some have reported that their blow lines are not holding due to soils drying out and creeping happening across their lines.