The Bench Fire burning near the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in Jefferson County forced sweeping evacuation orders over the weekend, after extreme fire behavior pushed the blaze through containment lines and rapidly toward communities. The fire, which combined with the nearby Beachcomb Fire, prompted the invocation of Oregon's Emergency Conflagration Act — the 10th such invocation of the 2026 fire season.

Evacuation Orders

Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation orders expanded across Jefferson County west of Madras, with Level 1 and 2 notices covering a wider buffer area. The Warm Springs Agency District was placed under a Level 3 order, with residents directed to two evacuation sites:

  • Old School Cafeteria, 1150 Warm Springs Street, Warm Springs
  • St. Patrick's Church, 341 SW J Street, Madras

U.S. Highway 26 was closed near Warm Springs between mileposts 108 and 110 due to active fire and smoke conditions on the roadway. Motorists were urged to seek alternate routes.

Fire Behavior

The Bench Fire grew rapidly when extreme fire weather — including wind gusts up to 29 mph, very low relative humidity, and high temperatures — pushed it east past contingency lines on Friday. The fire went from 20% contained to effectively no containment in a matter of hours, a dangerous and rapid collapse that forced emergency response upgrades across Jefferson County.

The Beachcomb Fire, burning nearby, was simultaneously growing and contributing to the broader threat. Combined, the two fires drew a large response from Oregon State Fire Marshal crews, who were assigned to support structure protection for communities in the fire's path.

Emergency Conflagration Act

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for both the Beachcomb and Bench fires, as well as separately for the Second Flat Fire. The act allows the Oregon State Fire Marshal to mobilize state resources — including incident management teams, engines, dozers, and personnel — to supplement local capabilities when a wildfire threatens lives and property beyond what local agencies can handle.

The invocation for the Shingle Fire in Grant and Wheeler counties (14 miles southeast of Mitchell, estimated at 21,849 acres at time of invocation) brought the season total to 10 — an extraordinary number reflecting the severity of the 2026 fire season in Oregon.

What Residents Should Do

If you are in an area with a Level 3 evacuation order, leave immediately. Do not wait for conditions to worsen. If under a Level 2 order, be prepared to leave on short notice — have your go-bag packed, know your route, and move pets and livestock to safety. Level 1 residents should stay informed and be ready to escalate quickly.

Jefferson County emergency alerts are available through the county's emergency management website. Wasco and Jefferson County residents can also download the FEMA app for mobile emergency alerts.