Garda Falls Fire, Washington — Map & Containment

Garda Falls Fire (Washington) — Sentinel-2 true color

Garda Falls Fire (Washington) — Sentinel-2 SWIR (fuego)

True view Fire view

⟷

True view (left): as the eye sees it.
Fire view (right): infrared (SWIR), sees through smoke and brings out the heat.

🟢 green = vegetation
🟤 brown = already burned
🟠 orange = fire right now

Drag to compare: normal photo on the left, heat brought out on the right.

Green: vegetationBrown: already burnedOrange: fire right nowSentinel-2 · Copernicus

Key facts

Source: NIFC

Locationnull Miles null from null,

ComplexWonderland Complex

CauseNatural

JurisdictionNPS · Federal land

The story so far

Burning in Pierce County, Washington, the active Garda Falls Fire has been ongoing for 61 days since its natural ignition on August 24, 2026. Managed by the National Park Service on federal land, the fire spans 308 acres with zero containment, maintaining an approximate average daily growth of 5 acres per day.

Satellite monitoring indicates lingering activity with 1 heat detection picked up over the past 48 hours, highlighting the continued persistence of the fire front within its geographic setting.

This incident unfolds during the region's typical fire season, which runs from June to October. Nationally, the broader fire context shows 3,455,585 hectares burned so far in 2026, tracking 37% below the two-decade average.

In context

This wildfire has been burning in Washington for 61 days. So far it has affected roughly 308 acres — about 1.2 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.