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Balky Hill Fire (WA)

Active · 299 acres · started 2026-08-19 · updated 2026-08-20

Balky Hill Fire (WA) — Sentinel-2 true color Balky Hill Fire (WA) — Sentinel-2 SWIR (fuego) True color Fire (SWIR)
True color (left): as the eye sees it.
Infrared / SWIR (right): sees through smoke.

🟢 green = vegetation
🟤 red/brown = burned
🟠 orange = active fire

Imagery: Sentinel-2 (Copernicus). Drag to compare smoke vs. infrared.

Heat detections: NASA FIRMS (last 48h).

Quick facts

Location
Okanogan County
Jurisdiction
Private land

Burning across private land in Okanogan, Washington, the active Balky Hill Fire has reached 400 acres after starting on August 19, 2026. Satellites have detected four heat signatures over the last 48 hours, illustrating the current spread of the fire front across the local terrain.

This incident unfolds during the region's typical fire season, which runs from June to October. Nationally, the wildfire activity occurs within a broader context where 2,943,064 hectares have burned so far in 2026, tracking 46% below the two-decade average.

In context

This wildfire has been burning in Washington for 1 day. So far it has affected roughly 299 acres — about 1.2 km².

In the Northern Hemisphere, wildfire activity usually peaks during the warm, dry months — roughly May through October.

The bigger picture in United States

Across United States, roughly 2,943,064 hectares have burned so far in 2026 — 46% below the two-decade average. Data from Copernicus GWIS.

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