Oregon is fighting through what officials are calling a record-breaking wildfire season. With more than 2.5 million acres burned across the state so far in 2026, fire activity spans from the Mt. Hood National Forest in the west to the Wallowa-Whitman lands along the Idaho border in the east. As of August 29, the National Interagency Fire Center reports 13 large fires actively burning in Oregon, with dozens of smaller incidents also demanding agency resources.
Largest Fires Approaching Containment
The season's biggest fires are trending toward control, though crews remain engaged on extensive perimeters. The Big Grass Fire — the largest single fire of Oregon's season — has burned 578,637 acres in Malheur County and into Idaho's Owyhee County. Now 93% contained, crews are focused on mop-up and extinguishing hot spots in the fire's interior, including addressing ember castoffs that crossed established lines during previous wind events.
The Rowe Creek Complex, located 10 miles south of Fossil in Wheeler County, has consumed 373,927 acres and reached 92% containment. Incident commanders are deploying Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for infrared mapping to locate remaining hot spots, with crews focused on suppression repair and hazard tree removal. The Crosswhite Fire in Wheeler County (342,923 acres, 92% contained) is similarly in late-stage mop-up.
Grasshopper Fire Threatens Mt. Hood National Forest
The Grasshopper Fire on the Mt. Hood National Forest has burned 93,886 acres across Clackamas, Hood River, and Wasco counties and stands at 81% containment. The fire has threatened the Badger Creek Wilderness and adjacent communities, driving significant evacuation orders in its earlier weeks. While some Level 1 ("Be Ready") orders have been downgraded as containment improves, fire managers caution that volatile conditions could still threaten gains along the perimeter.
Austin Fire Burns Uncontained Near Estacada
The human-caused Austin Fire, ignited August 9 approximately 25 miles southeast of Estacada in the Mt. Hood National Forest's Clackamas River Ranger District, has grown to 10,045 acres and remains 0% contained. The fire is burning in dense timber and understory, and firefighters are building preliminary containment lines while mandatory evacuation orders remain in effect for surrounding areas. Highway 224 has been closed due to the Austin Fire and the adjacent Narrows Fire (287 acres, 0% contained).
Hagen and Paradise Fires Challenging Umatilla Crews
The Hagen Fire on the Umatilla National Forest, located 26 miles east of Pendleton, has burned 60,737 acres and remains at just 35% containment. The U.S. Forest Service partially lifted the Hagen Fire Expanded Emergency Closure north of Highway 204 on August 27, though the closure south of Highway 204 remains in place. The Paradise Fire (18 miles east of Milton-Freewater, 9,324 acres, 15% contained) continues to threaten the Mill Creek Watershed area.
McCully Fire and Baker County Activity
The McCully Fire on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, located 22 miles northwest of Baker City, has burned 8,872 acres and is 0% contained. Baker County firefighters also responded to 16 separate wildfires in a single day during a late-August lightning siege, with evacuation orders issued through the Baker County Sheriff's Office. The North Pole Fire (310 acres, 0% contained, 18 miles southwest of Baker City) is also burning in the same district.
Emergency Fire Prevention Order in Effect
Due to severe fire danger, the Bureau of Land Management Burns District and the Oregon Division of State Lands issued an emergency fire prevention order effective August 26, 2026, strictly prohibiting open flames, campfires, debris burns, and fireworks across a broad swath of eastern Oregon. Residents and visitors are urged to check current closure maps at InciWeb and the Oregon State Fire Marshal before entering public lands.