Cave Fire (Idaho)
Satellite image: NASA MODIS (infrared — active fire in orange/red, from yesterday).
Heat detections: NASA FIRMS (last 48h).
Quick facts
- Location
- 3 Miles E from MELBA, ID
- Cause
- Human
- Personnel
- 89
- Complexity
- Type 4 Incident
- Fuel
- Short Grass (1 foot)
- Behavior
- Extreme
- Jurisdiction
- BLM · Federal land
Burning across federal lands in Ada County, Idaho, the active Cave Fire has charred 1,500 acres since its human-caused ignition on August 26, 2026. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management as a Type 4 Incident, the fire remains under observation as satellites pick up two heat detections over the past 48 hours, signaling localized activity within its perimeter.
This incident unfolds during the region's typical fire season, which runs from June to October. Nationally, the wildfire landscape tells a broader story of below-average activity, with 3,068,903 hectares burned so far in 2026, marking a 44% decrease compared to the two-decade average.
In context
This wildfire has been burning in Idaho for 1 day. So far it has affected roughly 1,500 acres — about 6.1 km². Crews report no containment yet, so the fire can still spread.
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 3,068,903 hectares have burned so far in 2026 — 44% below the two-decade average. Data from Copernicus GWIS.
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