"The incident grew to 17,000 acres in just five days, requiring a significant firefighting effort and resulting in a substantial estimated cost of $35,000, highlighting the rapid escalation potential of natural fires in the region."
The Chipmunk wildfire, located 15 miles west of Homestead in Miami‑Dade County, Florida, was first discovered on August 21, 2026, and is caused by natural factors under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. The fire rapidly expanded from 1,287 acres at discovery to 17,000 acres by August 25, with containment progressing from 30% to 90% and finally reaching 100% on August 26. Fire behavior evolved from active, backing and flanking to active, flanking and running, and ultimately to minimal, flanking and running as containment improved. Personnel increased from 2 to 11 firefighters, and estimated costs rose from $8,000 to $35,000 over the course of the incident. The fire was fully contained by August 26, 2026.
Official source description: 15 Miles W from Homestead, FL
Minimal; Flanking; Running
With the fire now fully contained and behavior minimal, standard wildfire safety precautions apply; remain vigilant for any potential flare‑ups and follow any local advisories.
IRWIN ID: {961F6E41-B910-4A84-BE8D-ACAEB538FC56}
Discovered: Aug 21, 2026
Cause: Natural
Managing Agency: NPS
Est. Cost to Date: $35,000
Coordinates: 25.5451, -80.8368
Other wildfires that have recently been contained or dropped from official tracking in FL.
The Chipmunk Fire has burned 17,000 acres as of August 26, 2026.
Yes, the Chipmunk Fire is fully contained (100%).
The official cause has been listed as: Natural.
The Chipmunk Fire is burning in Miami-Dade, FL.
Yes, as of the latest official update, the Chipmunk Fire remains active.
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