Every first day of the month, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) publishes a four-month “National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook.” It did so again last Friday.

So far this year, 1,848,210 acres have burned across the country—nearly twice the 10-year average. More than 24,000 wildfires have been reported, also 150% above normal.

The national preparedness level is currently at 2 on a five-point scale, not yet a crisis, but no longer a quiet spring either. But the most important number in the new federal wildland fire outlook may be this one: nearly 62 percent of the United States is now in drought.

Extreme drought now covers more than 19 percent of the country, and exceptional drought has grown in places including northwest Colorado, much of Utah, south Texas, northern Arkansas, south Georgia, north Florida, and southwest Idaho.

Think about that: almost one-fifth of the entire lower 48 states is currently dealing with either extreme or exceptional drought—in May. This is not normal.

It looks like it's going to be a doozy of a wildfire season on public lands in the Pacific Northwest, Southwest, and Southeast this year.

Nebraska already had the biggest wildfire in its history in March and Everglades National Park is currently on fire.

Not looking good at all for our public lands.