Oregon is heading into the 2026 wildfire season facing some of the most concerning pre-season indicators in the state's recorded history. A warm winter that delivered rain instead of snow to the Cascades and other mountain ranges has left Oregon's snowpack at historic lows — a development that fire managers say could compress the green-up period and dramatically extend the window during which fires can ignite and spread with devastating speed.
What Happened This Winter
Oregon's 2025–26 winter was defined by above-normal temperatures and precipitation that fell predominantly as rain at elevations that historically receive deep snowpack. The result: mountain snowpack levels that are the lowest on record in many watersheds. Snow plays a critical role in moderating fire season — it insulates soils, slowly releases moisture into the landscape through spring and early summer, and delays the drying of vegetation that fuels fires.
Without that snowpack buffer, Oregon's forests, grasslands, and shrublands began drying in earnest during April — a month that normally still sees regular rain and green vegetation across much of the state.
Drought Across the State
Drought conditions have persisted in Western Oregon throughout much of the year — an unusual circumstance for the typically wet west side of the Cascades. The U.S. Drought Monitor shows moderate to severe drought across large portions of the state, and the Climate Prediction Center forecasts below-normal precipitation continuing through at least June.
The NIFC seasonal outlook flags Oregon for above-normal significant fire potential beginning in late June through July, with the threat potentially expanding as the summer progresses. Given the current moisture deficit, fire managers have indicated that the actual onset of significant fire activity could arrive sooner than that forecast window suggests.
Recent Fire History Looms Large
Oregon has experienced multiple catastrophic fire years in the past decade, including the Labor Day 2020 fires that destroyed entire communities across the state. The more recent Pine Mountain Fire near Bend burned 2,589 acres before being fully contained this spring — an early reminder that fire season in Central Oregon can arrive quickly and with little warning.
State and Federal Response
Oregon Department of Forestry, the Oregon State Fire Marshal, and federal land management agencies are all ramping up for what they anticipate will be a demanding season. BLM fire restrictions took effect May 14 across all BLM-administered lands in Oregon. The Oregon State Fire Marshal's office maintains interactive fire maps at osfminfo.org for real-time incident tracking.
Oregon residents are urged to visit oregon.gov/odf for fire danger levels by county and to check current fire restrictions before using outdoor spaces on public lands.