PNW Focus

Portland Fire and Rescue, Washington County, and Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue are implementing summer burn bans beginning June 15, prohibiting campfires, fire pits, and yard debris burning as extreme heat arrives and Oregon officially enters fire season.

With above-normal fire potential forecast across the Pacific Northwest through September, fire officials urge residents to know their evacuation zone, build a go-bag, and create defensible space now.

Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties have launched address-searchable wildfire evacuation maps to help Portland-area residents know their zone and routes before fire season peaks.

With fuels drier than normal across the PNW heading into summer recreation season, fire agencies are urging the public to practice fire safety. Human ignitions — escaped debris burns, campfires, and equipment sparks — are the leading cause of early-season wildfires.

With the 2026 PNW fire season ramping up early, here is everything you need to know about Oregon and Washington evacuation levels, building a go bag, creating defensible space, and signing up for local alerts.

With 87-91% of weather stations in Washington and Oregon flagging snow drought, snowpack at 50% of normal, and an early melt-out, the Pacific Northwest faces one of the most dangerous pre-season fire weather setups in years.

The Summit Creek Fire on Idaho's Sawtooth National Forest has reached 93 percent containment at 1,887 acres after threatening structures near Oakley following a rapid early-season start on May 25.

The Chestnut Fire ignited June 6 in the Chelan Butte area of Washington, growing rapidly before crews achieved 50% containment at 1,508 acres by June 8. Energy infrastructure remains threatened. Managed by Washington DNR Southeast Region.

North Idaho's Kootenai County faces above-normal fire potential in August 2026, with fire experts warning that federal staffing reductions are leaving fewer resources for prevention, planning, and response. Residents in the wildland-urban interface are urged to prepare now.

NIFC forecasters project above-normal wildfire potential for all of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho through August, driven by El Niño warmth, heavy spring grass growth, and below-normal snowpack. The high-risk window is arriving weeks early.

A fast-moving fire near Huntington, Oregon burned 1,500 acres, forced evacuations including a Level 3 Go Now order for Farewell Bend State Park, and briefly closed Interstate 84 Saturday night. Evacuation levels have since been downgraded.

The Bureau of Land Management has implemented statewide fire restrictions across all BLM-administered lands in Oregon and Washington, with district-level fire prevention orders adding additional prohibitions in areas including Coos Bay and Roseburg.

Idaho state and federal officials are sounding the alarm about a potentially severe 2026 wildfire season driven by historically low snowpack, above-normal temperatures, and early drying of fuels across the state.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.