Wildland fire is a natural part of many ecosystems across North America. The North American Seasonal Fire Assessment and Outlook provides a monthly discussion of conditions that may affect the occurrence of wildland fires across the continent in the upcoming months. The Outlook's monthly maps and country-focused discussions provide a broad assessment of the factors expected to contribute to an increase or decrease of seasonal fire activity. The objective of the Outlook is to assist wildland fire managers in preparing for the potential variations in a typical fire season. It is not intended as a prediction of where and when wildland fires will occur nor is it intended to suggest any area is safe from the hazards of wildfire.

The Outlook is generally available around the 10th of each month: it shows outlook maps for the current month, the next month, and one month beyond that.