PRINEVILLE, Ore. (July 19, 2026) — This evening, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Complex Incident Management Team 3 (CIMT) and Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Red Team assumed unified command of the Brewer and Box Springs wildfires burning north of Prineville.
Fueled by hot, dry and gusty conditions, extreme fire activity continues to push the Brewer Fire to the south and east. Crews focused their efforts on building and improving control lines around the fire perimeter closest to residential areas. Fire activity tested those lines, and crews were able to hold the majority of those lines throughout the day.
“We’re focused on bringing in as many resources as we can, slowing growth and holding the fire away from town,” said ODF Incident Commander Tyler McCarty.
Elsewhere on the Brewer and Box Springs fire, firefighters continue to look for additional areas to safely construct control line to slow the fires advance; although, terrain proves to be difficult. Additional resources continue to arrive, and incident personnel are working to coordinate additional personnel and equipment assigned to the incidents.
To bolster response and protect structures, OSFM has deployed 5 structural task forces to the Brewer Fire, with two task forces working overnight and three working during the day.
Community Meeting
Incident officials will give a brief update on the Brewer and Box Springs Fires during the Akawa Butte virtual community meeting scheduled for 7 PM on Monday, July 20th. See the Akawa Butte Fire Facebook page for more details: www.facebook.com/akawabuttefire.
Evacuations
Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuations are in effect for the Brewer and Box Springs fires. County sheriff’s offices issue evacuation orders. The most current evacuation information is available at:
Crook County: www.facebook.com/CrookCountySheriff
Jefferson County: https://www.facebook.com/JeffersonCountyORSheriff/
Closures
BLM has issued closures for lands in and near the fires. See below for current information:
BLM Closures and Restrictions: https://www.blm.gov/programs/fire/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions
Smoke Impacts: Smoke from the Brewer and Box Springs fires may be visible in Prineville and surrounding areas, reducing visibility and impacting air quality in nearby communities. Smoke conditions can change throughout the day as winds shift. Individuals sensitive to smoke should take appropriate precautions. For current air quality information and smoke forecasts, visit: https://fire.airnow.gov/.
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR)
A “TFR” is in place for the fire area daily (24 hours) until further notice. Flying a drone near or around a wildfire is illegal and compromises the safety of both pilots and firefighters and interferes with firefighting efforts. If you fly, we can’t. All illegal drone use will be reported to law enforcement.
Air Quality Information
Air quality updates: https://fire.airnow.gov/