The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Wildland Fire Service officially launched their fall prescribed burning season in Oregon and Washington on October 1, 2026, beginning operations that will continue through fall and into winter as weather, fuel moisture, and air quality permit. The announcement marks an important shift from the suppression-heavy summer into a proactive fuel reduction phase that fire managers say is critical to reducing future wildfire risk.

“Prescribed fire is one of our most effective tools for reducing wildfire risk and improving habitat,” said Josh O’Connor, Northwest Geographic Area Fire Chief for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service. “By carefully planning and executing these burns, we’re helping protect communities and strengthen the health of our public lands.”

What the Burns Target

Prescribed burning operations in the Pacific Northwest focus on:

  • Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) zones — reducing fuel loads adjacent to communities most at risk of structure loss in a wildfire
  • Post-thinning slash — burning piled or broadcast slash left from earlier mechanical thinning projects
  • Ecological restoration — re-introducing low-intensity fire to landscapes historically shaped by frequent fire cycles, including ponderosa pine forests and dry meadows
  • Invasive species management — using fire to reduce invasive annual grasses that dramatically increase fine fuel loads

Techniques and Methods

Burn crews will employ a range of ignition techniques depending on terrain and objectives. Broadcast burning — applying fire to an entire defined area — is used where fuel conditions and terrain allow broad treatment. In steeper or more fragmented landscapes, hand and machine pile ignitions provide more precise control. All burns are carried out within pre-approved “prescription windows”: specific combinations of wind, temperature, humidity, and fuel moisture that allow managers to achieve treatment objectives while maintaining control.

North Idaho and Eastern Washington Forest Service Burns Already Underway

The U.S. Forest Service has already been active, conducting prescribed fires across northeast Washington and North Idaho over the past several weeks. The Colville National Forest, Kaniksu National Forest, and lands in the Idaho Panhandle have all seen prescribed fire activity as conditions allowed during the September-October weather transition.

Separately, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has announced plans to conduct prescribed burns on WDFW-managed lands in Okanogan County this fall, with burn timing tied to achieving appropriate weather and fuel moisture conditions.

What Residents Near Burns Should Know

Smoke from prescribed fires can settle in low-lying valleys and communities, particularly overnight. Residents near active burn areas should:

  • Close windows at night to minimize indoor smoke infiltration
  • Slow down and use headlights when driving through smoky areas
  • Check airnow.gov for current air quality conditions
  • Those with heart or lung disease, asthma, or other chronic conditions should consult their doctor and monitor local air quality closely

Information on upcoming and active prescribed burns in Oregon and Washington is available through the BLM’s regional fire information portal and each National Forest’s alerts and news pages. Smoke reporting lines are also available through Oregon DEQ and the Washington Smoke Information blog.