Oregon Governor Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for two separate wildfire incidents within 24 hours over the July 11-12 weekend — a rare double-invocation that underscores the severity of the fire season bearing down on the state. The two fires, the Olive Butte Fire in Grant County and the East Evans Creek Road Fire in Jackson County, together forced hundreds of residents from their homes and mobilized more than 400 firefighters from across the state.

The Olive Butte Fire: Granite Ordered to Evacuate

On the evening of Saturday, July 12, Grant County Emergency Management issued Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation orders for the entire town of Granite — a small, historic mining community in northeastern Oregon — as the Olive Butte Fire spread rapidly through dry timber and grass. Governor Kotek invoked the Conflagration Act the same night, activating the Oregon State Fire Marshal's ability to pull resources from fire departments across the state through the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System.

The American Red Cross established an emergency evacuation shelter in Sumpter for displaced residents. As of Monday morning, the fire's exact acreage had not been publicly confirmed, but its rapid spread through critically dry terrain in the Blue Mountains region triggered the maximum evacuation level within hours of ignition.

East Evans Creek Road Fire: Jackson County Battles 3,600-Acre Blaze

The East Evans Creek Road Fire ignited on Friday, July 10, on private land protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry's Southwest Oregon District. The fire was reported at 2:41 p.m. and spread aggressively through the dry hills of Jackson County near Sams Valley, north of Medford. By Monday, the fire had grown to 3,628 acres with only 5 percent containment.

Jackson County Sheriff's Office and Emergency Management have issued a tiered evacuation structure:

  • Level 3 (Go Now): Zone JAC-148-A — immediate evacuation required
  • Level 2 (Get Set): Zones JAC-016, JAC-124, JAC-148-B — prepare to leave immediately
  • Level 1 (Ready): Zones JAC-017, JAC-026, JAC-036, JAC-147 — be aware and prepared

Governor Kotek's first Conflagration Act invocation of the weekend came Friday night for this fire, with the Oregon State Fire Marshal dispatching four task forces and the Blue Incident Management Team to assist. More than 400 personnel — including 20-person hand crews, engines, dozers, water tenders, heavy equipment, helicopters, and structural task forces — were ultimately deployed.

What the Conflagration Act Means

The Emergency Conflagration Act grants Oregon's State Fire Marshal authority to commandeer firefighting resources statewide when a fire poses an extreme threat to life or property. The 2026 invocations for both fires mark the second and third uses of the Act this year, signaling that Oregon is experiencing a fire siege that local resources alone cannot manage.

Residents in active evacuation zones should not return until authorities have officially lifted orders. For current evacuation status, check the Jackson County Emergency Management website and the Grant County Sheriff's Office social media pages.