August 23, 2025
SISTERS, Ore. (August 23, 2025) — Despite hot, dry and gusty conditions, fire crews continue to battle the 18,000-acre Flat Fire. Firefighters continue to face critical weather, steep terrain and shifting conditions. Ground crews continue to work closely with air resources in an attempt to slow the fire’s forward progress, with a focus on protecting threatened structures.
“Our firefighters are working under critical weather conditions and some very challenging terrain. We’re going to continue the aggressive firefighting that local resources and partners started,” said Aaron Whiteley Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) 3 Incident Commander.
Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) structural task forces continued providing point protection to properties and critical infrastructure threatened by the fire. Due to increased fire activity, OSFM crews focused efforts on structures impacted by the threat of the fire. This work includes active suppressing of fire around homes, creating a perimeter around homes, extinguishing hot spots around structures, controlling hot spots, and monitoring for embers.
“Public and firefighter safety are our primary concern,” said, Ian Yocum, Department of State Fire Marshal Red Team Incident Commander. “We’ll be in this firefight until structures are no longer in harm’s way.”
Additional personnel and resources continue to arrive and join day and night operational shifts and increase capacity. All agencies continue to work closely with partner agencies to protect lives, property, and communities.
These resources included two strike teams comprised of Type I engines. These large engines help bolster structural protection and allow more mobile resources to expand their efforts. Eight OSFM task forces will work tonight, ensuring protection remains in place around the clock.
ODF CIMT 3 assumed command of the Flat Fire from Central Oregon IMT 3 and unified with OSFM Incident Management Red Team at 6:00 p.m. this evening. To help fire operations and firefighter safety, The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service ask that people stay out of the fire area.
As a reminder, drone use near fires is both illegal and extremely dangerous to pilots working on incidents. If you fly, we can’t. FAA Temporary Flight Restrictions are in place for the fire area. All illegal drone use will be reported to law enforcement.
Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuations remain in effect under the direction of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Follow their Facebook pages for the latest information and updates.
A Temporary Evacuation Point has been setup at Highland Baptist Church located at: 3100 SW Highland Ave, Redmond, OR. Jefferson County Fairgrounds is available for large animals.
The Flat Fire started the afternoon of Thursday, August 21. A conflagration was declared on August 22, 2025. The Flat Fire includes public and private lands of the Oregon Department of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management, Ochoco National Forest, and Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
August 23, 2025
SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has deployed Complex Incident Management Team 3 (CIMT 3) to manage the Flat Fire north of Sisters and near Lake Billy Chinook.
The fire started yesterday (Aug. 21) and is now estimated at 9,000 acres. The fire has exceeded the span of control of the local Type 3 Team, so the larger IMT was activated and will take command of the fire tomorrow (Aug. 23).
“This extreme heat and dry fuels have made control efforts hard,” said Ron Graham, Deputy Chief of ODF’s Protection Division. “On the positive side, given the lower number of current fires state-wide there are a lot of resources available to send to the fire.”
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is overseeing evacuations in the affected area. Community members are urged to stay informed about evacuation levels and be prepared to act quickly. For the latest evacuation information go to the Jefferson County Sherrif’s Office evacuation zones page and the Deschutes County Sherrif’s Office Emergency Info page.
“This is tough for local community members,” said Graham. “Earlier this summer they had to endure the Alder Springs Fires, now this one is adjacent to that burned area impacting many of the same folks.”
Earlier today Governor Tina Kotek determined that a threat to life, safety, and property exists due to the fire, and the threat exceeds the firefighting capabilities of local firefighting personnel and equipment, so she invoked the Conflagration Act for the Flat Fire. That allows for more resources to be deployed to the fires to protect life and property. See the news release here.
As firefighters continue to work to suppress fires around the state, ODF urges community members to help reduce the strain on firefighters by preventing new human-caused fires. Follow fire prevention guidelines and know the local fire restrictions currently in place: https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/restrictions.aspx.
The Oregon Department of Forestry is deploying Complex Incident Management Team 3 to manage the Flat Fire north of Sisters. The fire is now estimated at 9,000 acres.
August 18, 2025
ODF Incident Management Teams
- Team 2 is on rotation.
- Team 3 is on call.
- Team 1 is on rest.
There are approximately 0 personnel assigned to the 0 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.
Initial attack remains ODF’s top priority to keep wildfires small. Prompt detection, early response and aggressive initial attack have been limiting fire spread; however, the department cautions that fuels are becoming quite dry and preheated with the current weather and warns against complacency.
ODF Highlight: The South Fork Forest Camp (SFFC) Do Good Club really does good! The club recently raised an impressive $500 to donate to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation (WFF). What makes this club unique is that it is led and organized by Adults In Custody (AICs) in collaboration with staff at the South Fork Forest Camp. The minimum-security facility, in the middle of the Tillamook State Forest, is jointly run by the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Oregon Department of Corrections.
The Fundraiser was a special meal consisting of a bacon double cheeseburger, onion rings, chocolate chunk cookies, and a soda. The $20 is a significant amount for the AICs as they earn points for successful participation in education, treatment, self-improvement, and work programs. At the end of each month the points earned translate into a cash award and other non-cash incentives.
The nonprofit WFF was chosen to receive donations because nearly all the AICs at South Fork receive Wildland Firefighting training. Most AIC’s at SFFC are then assigned to 10-man crews led by an ODF staff member that provides critical hand crews to battle wildfires around Oregon. Inspired by the AICs participation and enthusiasm, SFFC staff matched whatever the AICs raised, along with matching funds from an (outside SFFC) ODF staff member that brought the total to $1,500.
Weather: Gradual warming and drying is expected to begin this week, developing over the east side first and then moving over to the west side later in the week. Projections show temperatures well above average by next weekend. The threat of fire weather hazards like widespread thunderstorms and strong dry winds appears low for the next several days.
Prevention: The Oregon Department of Forestry wants to remind Oregonians that with weather fluctuating across the state, fire is still on the landscape and fire season is still in effect. The department warns the public against complacency as the state moves is in peak fire activity months, August and September.
Remaining informed of local fire restrictions is a simple way to prevent you from bringing prohibited fire hazards onto the landscape and from potentially starting the next large wildfire. Remember, the fewer human-caused fires in Oregon we have, the more you’re helping protect Oregon’s natural resources, communities, and firefighters. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.
Resources
August 11, 2025
ODF Incident Management Teams
- Team 1 is on rotation.
- Team 2 is on call.
- Team 3 is on rest.
There are approximately 0 personnel assigned to the 0 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.
Initial attack remains ODF’s top priority to keep wildfires small. Prompt detection, early response and aggressive initial attack have been limiting fire spread; however, the department cautions that fuels are becoming quite dry and preheated with the current weather and warns against complacency.
ODF Highlight: We do more than fight fires. When a call comes asking for help, we assist. ODF’s Northeast Oregon District proved that when they and the La Grande Fire Department responded to help rescue a kitten stuck in an HVAC duct. The kitten, named Jeffro, was happily reunited with his owner after the team of rescuers located him and brought him to safety!
Weather: Today, expect hot and dry conditions west of the Cascades as temperatures peak. A thermal trough will remain over western Oregon and southwest Washington, providing better than average ventilation potential. Starting Tuesday, the peak hot and dry conditions will shift east of the crest as the thermal trough moves eastward. Gusty general winds will also increase on the east side, coinciding with very low humidity, which will enhance fire weather conditions.
Temperatures will cool on Wednesday, but dry gusty winds will become more widespread, further aggravating the burning environment. Conditions will gradually ease on Thursday. By Friday, low pressure will approach off the coast, bringing rain to the Washington coast by Friday evening. Thunderstorms are expected to develop east of the Cascades on Saturday, though the exact location and intensity of these storms remain uncertain.
Prevention: The Oregon Department of Forestry wants to remind Oregonians that with weather fluctuating across the state, fire is still on the landscape and fire season is still in effect. The department warns the public against complacency as the state moves into peak fire activity months, August and September.
Remaining informed of local fire restrictions is a simple way to prevent you from bringing prohibited fire hazards onto the landscape and from potentially starting the next large wildfire. Remember, the fewer human-caused fires in Oregon we have, the more you’re helping protect Oregon’s natural resources, communities, and firefighters. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.
Resources
August 6, 2025
Salem, OR— The Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Northwest Oregon Area wants to remind Oregonians that with weather fluctuating across the state, fire is still on the landscape and fire season is still in effect. The department warns the public against complacency as the state moves into peak fire activity months, August and September.
“We are lucky that so far this year we are not having a repeat of last year, but we are by no means out of the woods when it comes to the 2025 fire season,” said Don Everingham, Northwest Oregon Area Director. “We are anticipating high fire potential in August and September and need Oregonians to remain vigilant when it comes to wildfire prevention.”
Although the weather has seemed cooler with more precipitation this year, conditions this summer have been a mix of warm temperatures, wind, and dry fuels which are projected to continue the rest of the summer.
ODF’s Northwest Oregon Area urges Oregonians to not become complacent when it comes to wildfire prevention. Remaining informed of local fire restrictions is a simple way to prevent you from bringing prohibited fire hazards onto the landscape and from potentially starting the next large wildfire.
Remember, the fewer human-caused fires in Oregon we have, the more you’re helping protect Oregon’s natural resources, communities, and firefighters.
Wildfire prevention means:
- Debris burning is prohibited during fire season without a permit. Cover your pile and wait until fire season is over. A dry, covered pile is cleaner and safer to burn later, during wet fall and winter conditions.
- Don’t park your car over dried grass, and make sure your vehicle or ATV is regularly serviced.
- Dispose of your cigarette using designated receptacles, and NEVER discard butts on the ground or in vegetation outdoors.
- Check local restrictions before lighting a campfire.
Visit Oregon.gov/odf to find local fire restrictions and keeporegongreen.org for more wildfire prevention tips. Additional fire regulations may be implemented as fire danger level changes throughout fire season.
The ODF Northwest Oregon Area covers Marion, Benton, Lincoln, Polk, Yamhill, Tillamook, Clatsop, Columbia, Clackamas, Washington and Multnomah County.
