A prescribed burn on Oregon's Deschutes National Forest escalated into a wildfire last week, but firefighters have made significant progress and the blaze is now 70% contained at 2,589 acres, according to Central Oregon Fire Information.
How It Started
On May 7, 2026, the Pine Mountain Prescribed Burn on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District was declared a wildfire at approximately 4:00 p.m. after multiple spot fires escaped the unit boundary. The fire is located approximately 14 miles southeast of Bend, Oregon.
"Although forecasted weather conditions were within parameters for the prescribed burn, multiple spot fires occurred outside of the unit boundary," the U.S. Forest Service said in a release. The burn was immediately renamed the Pine Mountain Fire and additional resources were dispatched.
Containment Efforts
As of May 10, firefighters declared the eastern edge of the fire perimeter — consisting primarily of grassy flats — contained. Mop-up operations continue along smoldering sections of the perimeter where residual heat remains.
Specialized equipment including a skidgine and a Rapid Extraction Module Support (REMS) Team are aiding operations in hard-to-access, rocky, steep terrain southwest of Pine Mountain's summit.
Resources currently assigned include:
- Four hotshot crews
- One dozer
- Seven engines
- Five water tenders
- Forty overhead personnel
Closure and Safety
The Bureau of Land Management has issued an emergency temporary closure of public lands near the Pine Mountain Fire to reduce conflicts with fire crews and protect public safety. Firefighters are patrolling around the clock for any changes in fire activity.
Smoke from the Pine Mountain Fire has been visible from Highway 20, the Bend metro area, and the Newberry Caldera. Residents near the fire are encouraged to monitor air quality conditions at fire.airnow.gov.
For updates, visit centraloregonfire.org or follow @CentralORFire on X/Twitter. To report a wildfire, call 9-1-1.