U.S. raises national wildfire readiness to Level 4 amid growing fires

The United States has raised its national wildfire readiness to Preparedness Level 4 -- one step below the maximum level of 5 -- as 54 large wildfires remained uncontained nationwide.



Preparedness Level 4 took effect at 7:30 a.m. local time Monday, the first June Level 4 designation since 2021, said the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) and Boise State Public Radio.



The National Interagency Coordination Center said in Tuesday's situation report that 8,261 personnel were assigned to 73 active incidents. The NIFC's national fire news bulletin also forecasts southwest wind gusts of 40 to 72 km per hour and relative humidity of 3 to 15 percent across the Greater Four Corners into the central High Plains.



The U.S. Department of the Interior on Monday identified the three wildland firefighters killed Saturday in a burn-over incident near the Colorado-Utah border and Colorado Governor Jared Polis ordered state flags flown at half-staff, Colorado Public Radio reported.



The firefighters were assigned to the Rifle Helitack crew and engaged in initial attack operations on the Knowles Fire when the incident occurred.