PNW Focus
Oregon's 2026 Fire Season: Over 1.1 Million Acres, Record Costs, and Lessons for 2027
Oregon experienced one of its most destructive wildfire seasons in recorded history in 2026, with over 1.1 million acres burned, costs topping $842 million, and landmark fires near Jordan Valley and Fossil raising urgent questions about preparation for next year.
PNW Focus
Oregon's Historic 2026 Wildfire Season: By the Numbers
Oregon's 2026 wildfire season has shattered all previous state records, with more than 2.5 million acres burned across over 1,500 fires. Suppression costs have reached at least $236 million as the state seeks additional funding and federal fire borrowing looms as a risk.
PNW Focus
2026 Fire Season by the Numbers: Pacific Northwest Hardest Hit as Nation Logs 8.5 Million Acres Burned
With the 2026 wildfire season approaching its end, the numbers tell a sobering story: more than 8.5 million acres burned nationwide, Oregon set a new largest-fire-in-history record, and Washington saw 67,000 people under evacuation orders at the season’s peak.
PNW Focus
Idaho Fire Season Winding Down: Upper Smith Fire Still Active Near Canada Border, Mop-Up Dominates
Idaho wildfire activity has dropped sharply from its summer peak, with most personnel now focused on mop-up and post-fire repair. The Upper Smith Fire in the Idaho Panhandle—6 miles from the Canadian border—remains the state’s only active large fire, at 41% containment.
PNW Focus
Washington Cascade Fires: Three Queens Remains Dangerous Near Snoqualmie Pass, Sisi Threatens Stehekin
Washington State is still home to seven large uncontained fires, with the Three Queens fire near Snoqualmie Pass at just 23% containment threatening numerous residences and critical infrastructure. The remote Sisi fire near Stehekin is only 15% contained.
PNW Focus
Oregon Fire Season: Major Incidents Near Containment Following Record-Setting Summer
Oregon's six active large fires are approaching containment, led by the 373,927-acre Rowe Creek Complex near Fossil at 99% contained. The 2026 season produced Oregon's largest wildfire on record.
PNW Focus
Washington Fire Update: Eight Large Incidents Active Across the Cascades and Okanogan Highlands
Eight large wildfires remain active across Washington state, including the 172,814-acre Little Giant Fire and the 166,005-acre Sinlahekin Fire. Breezy Cascade gap winds and low humidity return Tuesday.
PNW Focus
ODF Plans Fall Prescribed Burn Near Corvallis as Agencies Push Post-Season Fuels Treatment
The Oregon Department of Forestry plans a prescribed training burn of up to 40 acres at Bald Hill Farm near Corvallis. A new federal hazard pay rule covering prescribed burns could boost recruitment for fuel treatment programs.
PNW Focus
Idaho Wildfires: Cascade Fire at 70% Containment, Big Grass Fire Fully Contained
Idaho's Cascade Fire is 70% contained at 7,475 acres in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests. The season-defining Big Grass Fire in Owyhee County reached full containment September 13 after a massive suppression effort.
PNW Focus
Prescribed Burns Resume in Oregon’s Willamette Valley as Fire Season Transitions
With the worst of the 2026 fire season winding down, land managers and ecological restoration groups are resuming prescribed burns in Oregon’s Willamette Valley — from Mt. Pisgah to Howard Buford Recreation Area — to restore habitat and reduce future fire risk.
PNW Focus
Big Grass Fire Nears Full Containment After Burning 578,637 Acres — Oregon’s Largest Wildfire on Record
The Big Grass Fire — Oregon’s largest wildfire on record at 578,637 acres — is 94% contained after more than seven weeks of firefighting, marking a major milestone in a historically destructive 2026 season.
PNW Focus
Five Major Fires Still Active Along Washington's Cascade Range
Washington led all states with nine active large fires as of September 18, with five significant incidents continuing to burn along the Cascade Range — driving evacuations, trail closures, and smoke impacts across the region.
PNW Focus
Idaho Fire Update: Selway Wilderness, Crooked, and Upper Smith Fires Remain Active
Idaho's active large fires include the Crooked Fire at 10,081 acres, the Selway Wilderness Fires at 7,475 acres deep in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, and the Upper Smith Fire at 4,848 acres. With seven large fires listed by NIFC, Idaho continues to contribute significantly to the Northwest's active fire burden.
PNW Focus
Washington's Two Mega-Fires Both Hit 81% Containment — Highest Level in Weeks
The Little Giant Fire (172,814 acres) and the Sinlahekin Fire (166,026 acres) — Washington's two largest active wildfires — have both reached 81% containment, marking a significant milestone after weeks of difficult firefighting in north-central Washington.
PNW Focus
Little Giant Fire: How Washington's Largest 2026 Blaze Was Kept From Becoming a Catastrophe
At 172,695 acres and 81 percent contained, the Little Giant Fire in Chelan County is Washington's largest wildfire of 2026. Fire managers credit favorable weather and aggressive tactical decisions with preventing what could have been a much larger disaster.
PNW Focus
Washington State Wildfire Roundup: A Dozen Large Fires Still Active as Containment Slowly Grows
Washington continues to host more large active wildfires than any other state, with 10 uncontained fires and more than 500,000 acres burned across the Cascades and Okanogan Highlands this season.
PNW Focus
Owyhee River Grassfire Highlights Human-Caused Fire Risk in Southeast Oregon
A fast-moving grassfire near the Owyhee Wild and Scenic River canyon in southeast Oregon highlights the ongoing human-caused fire threat in the high desert, where dry cured grasses create extreme spread conditions through early fall.
PNW Focus
Idaho Holds Seven Large Active Fires; State Racks Up $40 Million in Wildfire Suppression Debt
Idaho is managing seven large active fires while carrying nearly $40 million in wildfire suppression debt this season. The Cascade Fire in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests remains 50% contained after burning 7,475 acres.
PNW Focus
Home Hardening and Preparedness: What Pacific Northwest Residents Can Do Now Before the Next Fire
With 2.3 million acres burned in Oregon and thousands of structures lost across the PNW in 2026, fire preparedness experts urge homeowners to create defensible space, ember-proof their homes, and build evacuation plans before next season. Key steps and resources for Oregon and Washington residents.
PNW Focus
Oregon's Record-Shattering 2026 Fire Season: Big Grass, Grasshopper, and Hagen Fires Lead Statewide Effort
Oregon's 2026 wildfire season has burned 2.3 million acres — a new all-time state record. The Big Grass Fire (578,637 acres, 94% contained) is Oregon's largest ever. The Rowe Creek Complex is at 99% containment, while the Paradise Fire remains below 50%.