Multiple communities across Oregon remained under active evacuation orders Thursday as the state's historically severe 2026 wildfire season continued to threaten homes and infrastructure. Several fires have triggered mandatory Level 3 "Go Now" orders — Oregon's most urgent evacuation tier — while others have generated Level 1 and Level 2 readiness warnings covering thousands of additional residents.
Clackamas County: Austin and Mitchell Fires
Level 3 "Go Now" evacuations were issued for areas around both the Austin Fire and Mitchell Fire in Clackamas County, fire officials confirmed. The Lane County Sheriff's Office also issued evacuation orders for homes north of the intersection of Mt. Hood Highway. Level 3 is Oregon's most urgent evacuation category, meaning residents must leave immediately — there is no time to gather belongings or wait and see.
Wasco County: Grasshopper Fire
The Grasshopper Fire on the east side of Mount Hood has displaced hundreds of Wasco County residents. Evacuees from the Friend, Oregon area have been out of their homes since at least Sunday, as fire crews work to protect residences. The Wasco County Sheriff's Office has been conducting damage assessments between active suppression operations.
Highway 35, the primary access corridor for many affected communities, has been closed multiple times as fire activity approached the road, complicating both evacuation logistics and firefighter access. Officials have warned residents not to attempt to return to evacuated areas.
Rowe Creek Complex
The Rowe Creek Complex in central and eastern Oregon — the state's largest active blaze at approximately 364,413 acres — still has roughly 1,900 people under some form of evacuation order even as the fire has reached 76% containment. Crews are working to secure the remaining perimeter before those orders can be lifted. Residents are urged not to return to evacuated areas until officially cleared by county officials.
Klamath County Firefighter Fatality
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek ordered flags lowered to half-staff following the death of a firefighter battling a Klamath County fire. Flags at public institutions will fly at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on August 14 in honor of the fallen firefighter — a reminder of the profound personal cost of this year's fire season.
Washington: Okanogan County Communities
In Washington, multiple communities in Okanogan County continue to face evacuation orders from the Sinlahekin, Little Giant, and related fires. The entire community of Nespelem was evacuated earlier in the season due to the Kaiser Canyon Fire.
Evacuation Resources
- Oregon evacuation levels and maps: oregon.gov/oem
- Washington state evacuation information: mil.wa.gov/emergency-management-division
- Know your evacuation zone before fire threatens — do not wait for a Level 3 order to act
- Sign up for local emergency alerts through your county's emergency management office
- Pack your go-bag now: medications, documents, water, phone charger, three days of supplies