Despite the early onset of wildfire conditions in 2026, land managers across Central Oregon are pressing ahead with planned prescribed burning operations — using fire as a proactive tool to reduce fuel loads and lower long-term wildfire risk. The activity comes even as this week’s containment of the Pine Mountain Fire — a prescribed burn that escaped its boundaries — puts a spotlight on the complexities of managed fire in a warming climate.
Burns Planned Across Multiple Locations
Earlier this month, the Deschutes National Forest announced prescribed burning operations planned for multiple locations simultaneously, with residents near Crescent encouraged to keep doors and windows closed to minimize smoke impacts. Smoke from prescribed burns tends to be most noticeable overnight and in the early morning hours when smoke layers settle into valleys and low-lying areas.
Fire management officials coordinate prescribed burns with Oregon Department of Forestry smoke specialists to time operations when atmospheric conditions allow smoke to disperse adequately — balancing the ecological benefits of fire against air quality impacts on nearby communities.
Why Prescribed Burning Still Makes Sense
The Pine Mountain incident — where a prescribed burn escaped and was declared a wildfire on May 7 — has not changed land managers’ commitment to the tool. In fact, officials emphasize that such escapes, while requiring rapid response, are a known and managed risk of prescribed burning.
"Prescribed burns can protect homes from tragic wildfires," fire information officers have stated consistently throughout the season. The logic is straightforward: burning fuels under controlled conditions removes the material that would otherwise feed a catastrophic wildfire during extreme weather events.
Research consistently supports prescribed fire as one of the most cost-effective wildfire risk reduction strategies available. Forests in the Pacific Northwest that have experienced recent prescribed fire or mechanical thinning show markedly different behavior during subsequent wildfires — often allowing for safer suppression and reduced community impact.
The Challenge of Timing
A key challenge in 2026 is the rapidly narrowing window for safe prescribed burning. As fire season begins earlier due to warming temperatures and reduced snowpack, the spring burning window — traditionally the most favorable period in the Pacific Northwest — is becoming shorter and more constrained.
Managers must balance the urgency of treating as many acres as possible with the risks posed by drier-than-normal fuels and increasing wind events. When weather conditions push outside of acceptable burn parameters, planned operations are postponed — sometimes indefinitely if the season progresses too quickly.
Washington Prescribed Fire Council’s 2026 Priorities
The Washington Prescribed Fire Council (WPFC) has outlined priorities for the 2026 state legislative session focused on expanding the safe use of prescribed fire across the state. With record-breaking megafire years reshaping communities and policy discussions, the WPFC has advocated for innovative tools to expand prescribed burning capacity — including better smoke management frameworks, liability protections for burn managers, and training resources for local burn cooperatives.
As fire season ramps up, Central Oregon fire information will continue to be posted at centraloregonfire.org. Subscribe to fire alerts by texting “COFIRE” to 888-777.