The Narrows Fire on the Mt. Hood National Forest is on the verge of full containment, reaching 98% contained at 305 acres as of September 25, 2026. Located approximately 15 miles southeast of Estacada in Clackamas County, the fire is one of the last significant active incidents on Oregon's national forests as the state works through the recovery phase of one of its worst fire seasons on record.
The fire's near-containment represents a welcome milestone for the Mt. Hood National Forest, which manages some of the most heavily visited public lands in Oregon. Its proximity to the greater Portland metro area makes any fire activity in the Mt. Hood zone particularly significant from a public safety and air quality standpoint.
Context: A Season of Extremes
Oregon's 2026 wildfire season was officially the largest on record, with more than 2.3 million acres burned across the state — shattering the previous record set in 2024. The season was declared early and aggressive, driven by record-low snowpack, record-high temperatures, and early-season drought conditions that left landscapes dangerously dry from the start of spring.
While the fires in southeastern and central Oregon grabbed most of the headlines — including the Big Grass Fire, which became the largest wildfire in Oregon history at approximately 578,637 acres, and the Rowe Creek Complex at nearly 374,000 acres — the western portions of the state were not immune. Western Oregon typically sees fewer large fires than the drier east side, but this year's conditions created elevated fire danger across all regions of the state.
Mt. Hood National Forest Recovery
With the Narrows Fire approaching full containment, Mt. Hood National Forest managers are turning their attention to post-fire assessment, trail and road restoration, and watershed recovery planning. Public closures associated with active fire suppression are expected to be lifted as containment is achieved, restoring access to recreational areas in the Estacada and Clackamas River corridor.
Hikers, campers, and recreationists should check the Mt. Hood National Forest website and local closure order pages before planning trips into areas affected by this year's fire activity. Some areas may remain closed for safety reasons — including hazard trees and unstable slopes — even after fire suppression activities conclude.
Looking Ahead to Recovery and Preparedness
As the active fire season winds down across Oregon, state and federal agencies are shifting focus to recovery. That includes debris flow and flood risk assessment in recently burned areas — post-fire landscapes are highly susceptible to landslides and flash flooding during fall and winter rain events, particularly in steep terrain.
Residents living downstream from burn scars or in areas adjacent to recently burned slopes should familiarize themselves with their flood and debris flow risk. Oregon Emergency Management and local county offices of emergency management are resources for community-specific recovery guidance.
The Oregon Department of Forestry and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality are also beginning the process of evaluating lessons learned from 2026 and preparing recommendations for the 2027 fire season — including expanded pre-positioning of firefighting resources, enhanced air quality monitoring networks, and improved early warning systems for rapidly developing fires.