PNW Focus
Drought, Low Snowpack, and Early Heat Set Stage for Challenging 2026 Fire Season Across Pacific Northwest
Record warmth, one-third-of-normal snowpack, and early spring drying have Pacific Northwest fire officials warning of a challenging 2026 season well before peak fire weather arrives.
PNW Focus
BLM and Wildland Fire Service Impose Early Fire Restrictions Across Oregon and Washington
The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Wildland Fire Service have implemented fire restrictions across Oregon and Washington effective May 14, and Central Oregon national forests and grasslands imposed campfire bans ahead of Memorial Day weekend — weeks earlier than in past years.
PNW Focus
Defensible Space Now: Oregon and Washington Homeowners Urged to Act Before Fire Season Peaks
With the 2026 fire season already running above average and dangerous conditions forecast through the summer, Oregon and Washington fire agencies are urging homeowners in fire-prone areas to create defensible space and harden their homes now — while there is still time.
PNW Focus
2026 Fire Season Outlook: Pacific Northwest Faces Above-Average Wildfire Risk by August
NIFC's seasonal outlook projects above-average wildfire potential across all of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and southwest Montana by August, with conditions expected to persist into September.
PNW Focus
Record-Low Snowpack and Drought Set Stage for Severe Pacific Northwest Fire Season
With Oregon's worst snowpack on record, Washington's fourth consecutive drought emergency, and AccuWeather projecting up to 8 million acres burned nationally, the Pacific Northwest is bracing for a severe 2026 fire season.
PNW Focus
Zen Fire Burns 1,635 Acres in Central Oregon's Wasco County
The Zen Fire on BLM land five miles south of Clarno, Oregon has burned 1,635 acres with no structures threatened. The fire is 37% contained as central Oregon firefighting resources work toward full containment.
PNW Focus
Fires Erupt Along Columbia Gorge, I-84 Briefly Closed as Oregon's 2026 Season Ignites
Fast-moving fires in Sherman County, Oregon and Benton County, Washington shut down Interstate 84 and prompted evacuation notices near Horsethief Park, signaling an early and dangerous start to the 2026 fire season.
PNW Focus
Fires Erupt Along Oregon's Columbia Gorge Corridor, Closing I-84 and Triggering Evacuation Notices
Fast-moving fires near Biggs Junction closed I-84 in both directions last weekend while evacuation notices were issued for portions of Horsethief Park on the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge.
PNW Focus
Pine Mountain Prescribed Burn Escapes in Central Oregon, Highlighting Challenges of Spring Burning Windows
A prescribed burn on the Pine Mountain area of Central Oregon's Deschutes National Forest escaped its boundaries in early May and was declared a wildfire, underscoring the challenges of spring burning operations.
PNW Focus
Oregon Wildfire Awareness Month: State Officials Urge Residents to Prepare Now Before Peak Season Hits
Oregon's Wildfire Awareness Month is underway, and state emergency management officials are urging all residents to pack go-bags, know evacuation routes, review insurance, and create defensible space before the fire season peaks.
PNW Focus
Gorge Fires Force I-84 Closure, Scorching Multiple Sites as Oregon's 2026 Wildfire Season Ignites
Fast-moving flames shut down Interstate 84 near Biggs Junction last weekend as multiple simultaneous fires erupted across the Columbia Gorge corridor, signaling an early and potentially dangerous start to Oregon's 2026 wildfire season.
PNW Focus
Central Oregon Agencies Complete Spring Prescribed Burns to Reduce Wildfire Risk Around Communities
Agencies in the Deschutes National Forest and surrounding areas completed a series of spring prescribed burns near Bend, Sisters, Chemult, and Crescent, reducing fuel loads ahead of what forecasters expect to be a challenging 2026 fire season.
PNW Focus
Flames at the Gorge: Early Season Fires Close I-84, Prompt Evacuations Along Oregon-Washington Border
Fast-moving fires near Biggs Junction shut down I-84 and prompted evacuations at Horsethief Park on the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge, signaling an early and active start to the 2026 wildfire season.
PNW Focus
Oregon and Washington Officials Urge Residents to Complete Wildfire Preparations Now, Before Peak Season
Oregon and Washington emergency managers are urging residents to complete wildfire evacuation preparations now, as early-season fires and an above-normal fire forecast signal a demanding summer ahead. Know your evacuation level system, build your go-bag, and sign up for county emergency alerts before you need them.
PNW Focus
Flames in the Gorge: Early Season Fires Along I-84 Corridor Signal a Fast-Starting 2026 Season
Fast-moving fires erupted along the Interstate 84 corridor near Biggs Junction in Oregon's Columbia Gorge this weekend, forcing a temporary freeway closure and vehicle crashes. Simultaneous fires burned in Washington's Benton County, signaling that Oregon's 2026 fire season is already underway.
PNW Focus
Central Oregon Campfire Bans Take Effect Weeks Early as Drought Conditions Grip the Region
Fire restrictions banning most open fires on Deschutes, Ochoco, and BLM Prineville lands took effect weeks earlier than normal as drought conditions dry out fuels ahead of the typical summer fire season.
PNW Focus
Oregon and Washington Brace for Severe 2026 Wildfire Season After Warmest Winter on Record
Record-low snowpack, the warmest winter in Oregon history, and early fire activity are setting the stage for what officials warn could be one of the most severe wildfire seasons in Pacific Northwest history.
PNW Focus
New Research: More Than 400 Pacific Northwest Communities Face Greater Wildfire Risk Than Previously Thought
New research incorporating socioeconomic vulnerability data has identified more than 400 Pacific Northwest communities — including Cave Junction, Glendale, and La Pine — as facing greater wildfire risk than standard environmental models show.
PNW Focus
Flames in the Gorge: Oregon's 2026 Wildfire Season Roars to Life Along I-84
Fast-moving flames near Biggs Junction forced the temporary closure of Interstate 84 this weekend as Oregon's 2026 wildfire season made an early and dramatic entrance. Fires also burned in Benton County, Washington and near Columbia Hills State Park.
PNW Focus
Central Oregon Campfire Bans in Effect for Memorial Day Weekend: What Visitors Need to Know
Stage 1 campfire restrictions are in effect across Central Oregon public lands including the Deschutes National Forest just as the Memorial Day holiday weekend begins. Fire officials urge all visitors to know the rules and have a wildfire preparedness plan.