Balky Hill Fire (WA)
True color
Fire (SWIR)
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 County, Washington, the active Balky Hill Fire has expanded to 239 acres since its start on August 19, 2026. Satellites have detected two heat signatures over the past 48 hours, illustrating the current spread of the fire front across the landscape.
This incident unfolds during the region's typical fire season, which spans from June to October. Nationally, the broader fire landscape reflects a slower year, with 2,943,064 hectares burned so far in 2026, marking a 46% decrease compared to the two-decade average.
In context
This wildfire burned in Washington for 1 day. In total it burned about 239 acres — around 1.0 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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Community reports
Reports from people near the fire · unverified
Not official emergency information. In an emergency, contact fire services/authorities.
More fires in Washington
- Railroad FireEnded
- Old Trails FireContained
- Balky Hill FireActive
- Little Giant FireActive
- Fairview FireContained
- Autumn Lane FireContained