PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon's wildfire season remains in full force with 10 large fires actively burning statewide as of September 2, 2026, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The state ranks third in the country for active large fire count, trailing only Idaho and Washington, and a multi-agency suppression response is stretched across the eastern half of the state.

Fire Conditions and Weather

Recent reports from fire weather monitoring indicate that Red Flag Warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service for parts of southeast and north-central Oregon due to critical fire weather conditions. Southwest winds of 15 to 25 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph, are combining with unseasonably warm temperatures and relative humidity levels dropping into the critical 9 to 19 percent range — a combination that can cause rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior.

These conditions follow a period of active fire growth across eastern Oregon that prompted multiple agency responses, structure protection deployments, and community evacuations during the final days of August.

Active Fire Areas

Multiple fires are burning across north-central and eastern Oregon, with the heaviest concentration in the Cascades foothills, the Blue Mountains, and high desert zones east of the Cascades. The Oregon Department of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service are coordinating multi-agency responses across several districts.

Evacuations, area closures, and road restrictions remain active for a number of incidents. Residents in wildland-urban interface areas across Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook, Baker, and Marion counties are urged to monitor local emergency management channels for the most current status.

Agency Response

The Northwest Interagency Coordination Center, based in Portland, is operating at Preparedness Level 4 — one level below maximum — and is coordinating resource requests across Oregon and Washington. Incident management teams, hand crews, and aviation resources are being prioritized based on threat to life, property, and critical infrastructure.

  • Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) is managing or co-managing several state-jurisdiction fires
  • U.S. Forest Service is leading suppression on federal land fires across national forests in eastern Oregon
  • Bureau of Land Management resources are deployed across high desert and mixed-ownership landscapes

What Oregonians Should Do

  • Check the Oregon State Fire Marshal interactive maps for current evacuation zones
  • Sign up for your county's emergency alert system — most counties use Everbridge or Nixle
  • Follow air quality advisories from Oregon DEQ and limit outdoor activity on unhealthy air days
  • Avoid open burning — most eastern Oregon counties and ODF lands have burn restrictions in place
  • Have a go-bag ready if you live in or near active fire areas

For current Oregon fire information, visit the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center.