The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Wildland Fire Service announced on October 1, 2026 that prescribed burning operations are now underway throughout Oregon and Washington. The burns — which will continue through fall and winter as conditions allow — are designed to reduce hazardous fuel loads, protect communities, and restore native ecosystems disrupted by decades of fire suppression.

Why Prescribed Fire Now?

October marks the opening of the Pacific Northwest's prescribed burn window, when summer fire danger has subsided, humidity levels are rising, and weather conditions allow managers to conduct burns within carefully defined parameters. After a brutal 2026 wildfire season — with Washington's Little Giant and Sinlahekin fires collectively burning more than 338,000 acres — land managers are eager to reduce accumulated fuels ahead of next year.

"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 Areas Will Be Burned?

Specific burn locations will be made available through the BLM's Oregon/Washington website as conditions become favorable. Planned burns are distributed across public lands in both states, with a focus on the Wildland-Urban Interface and on restoring ecological function to fire-dependent landscapes. Techniques include:

  • Broadcast burning — applying fire across entire treatment areas
  • Hand pile ignitions — burning debris piles created during thinning operations
  • Machine pile ignitions — similar to hand piles but prepared with heavy equipment

What the Public Should Know

Prescribed burns will produce smoke, particularly during evening inversion conditions when smoke settles in valleys and low-lying areas. Residents near treatment areas should be aware:

  • Smoke may drift into communities overnight — close windows to reduce indoor exposure
  • Slow down and use headlights when driving through smoky areas
  • People with respiratory conditions, asthma, or heart disease should monitor local air quality at AirNow.gov
  • All burns proceed only when conditions are within pre-approved prescription windows

Trained observers monitor smoke behavior throughout each burn, and natural terrain features and constructed firelines are used to maintain containment.

For More Information

Information on specific planned burns is available through the BLM Oregon/Washington State Office at blm.gov, and through the U.S. Wildland Fire Service at wildfire.gov. Real-time air quality data is available at AirNow.gov.