The National Weather Service office in Pendleton, Oregon has issued Red Flag Warnings covering a broad swath of eastern Oregon and the Columbia Basin, in effect through 10:00 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, July 7. The warnings signal critically dangerous fire weather conditions that dramatically increase the risk of new fire starts and rapid fire spread.

Current Warning Areas

The active Red Flag Warning covers the Lower Columbia Basin of Oregon and extends into portions of eastern Oregon. The warning was issued July 6 at 10:53 a.m. PDT and remains active. The same region saw an earlier Red Flag Warning over the July 4th weekend, conditions that likely contributed to the explosive growth of both the North Cayuse and Antelope Creek fires.

What Is Driving the Dangerous Conditions

Several factors are combining to create extreme fire weather across the region:

  • Low relative humidity: Afternoon minimum relative humidity values are dropping to 7–20% across much of the Intermountain West, including eastern Oregon and Washington.
  • Gusty winds: Outflow winds associated with afternoon thunderstorm activity can gust to near 50 mph, capable of dramatically accelerating fire runs.
  • Dry lightning: Isolated to locally scattered mixed wet and dry thunderstorms are expected to develop across far northeast California and eastern Oregon into the northern Great Basin. Dry thunderstorms — those that produce lightning without significant rainfall reaching the ground — are a leading cause of wildfire ignitions.
  • Record-dry fuels: June was warmer and drier than normal across much of Oregon and Washington, with grasses, shrubs, and fine fuels now fully cured and highly receptive to ignition.

Implications for Active Fires

The North Cayuse Fire east of Pendleton and the Chelan Hills Fire in Washington are both burning in areas that fall under or adjacent to the current warning zone. Firefighters on both incidents are closely monitoring afternoon weather forecasts for wind events that could trigger new fire runs.

What the Public Should Do

During Red Flag Warning conditions, the risk of starting a wildfire — intentionally or accidentally — is extremely high. Officials urge:

  • Avoid campfires, grinding, welding, or any activity that could produce sparks outdoors
  • Do not park vehicles on dry grass — catalytic converters can ignite fires
  • Comply with any burn bans in your county
  • Have a ready-to-go bag and evacuation plan in place
  • Monitor weather.gov, local emergency management, and alert systems for your area

Residents in eastern Oregon and south-central Washington should remain on elevated alert through at least Tuesday evening, with the potential for additional fire weather watches or warnings to be issued as the forecast evolves.