Akawa Butte Fire Daily Update – Aug. 5, 2026 – Final Update

August 5, 2026

Incident Information:
Fire Information Line: 541-316-7711
Facebook: www.facebook.com/akawabuttefire
Email: CentralORFireInfo@gmail.com

FIRE AT A GLANCE
Akawa Butte Fire
Estimated Size:  27,491 acres (IR)
Location: 13 miles northeast of Sisters, OR
Containment: 99%
Cause: Lightning

Resources
Total Personnel: 216

Incident Commanders:
Northern New Mexico Type 3 Incident Management Team | Incident Commander: Steven Griego

Operations: Today, ground crews made significant progress, increasing containment to 98%. Crews began grading Wilt Road from the north end, prioritizing suppression repair due to heavy use during firefighting operations. This work will continue to improve road access.

On Thursday evening, command of the Akawa Butte Fire will transition from the Northern New Mexico Type 3 Incident Management Team to a local Type 4 organization, comprised of Oregon Department of Forestry and Forest Service resources. Fire crews will remain to ensure the fire is fully contained and controlled.

Safety: Although evacuation orders have been lifted, closure orders remain in effect for the Akawa Butte Fire area. Hazards such as unstable soil, falling trees, and lingering hot spots pose serious risks to anyone recreating in the fire area. Always obey posted signs and closure orders.

The Oregon Department of Forestry has issued a Regulated Closure, restricting activities, including smoking, open fires, chainsaw use, metal work, motor vehicle travel, fireworks, and blasting within the Central Oregon Forest Protection District and surrounding areas. These restrictions are designed to reduce wildfire risk and will remain in effect until further notice. For details on current restrictions and closure maps, visit the Oregon Department of Forestry Restrictions and Closures website.

Weather: Sunny with areas of smoke, zero chance of rain, and no expected lightning. Temperatures will reach the high 80s and low 90s and humidity could fall to 10–15 percent. Early morning light winds will shift upslope and up‑valley, increasing to north–northeast 4–8 mph with afternoon gusts of 10–15 mph, ridgetop winds follow a similar pattern, increasing to 5–9 mph with gusts up to 12–17 mph in the afternoon.

Smoke: Air quality in Sisters and surrounding communities will continue to be affected by wildfires throughout the Northwest. Air quality is expected to improve to “Moderate” conditions by the weekend. For a complete smoke outlook, visit: outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/6aaf6480. For air quality information, visit: fire.airnow.gov/

Evacuations: Evacuation orders in Deschutes and Jefferson counties have been lifted as of Monday afternoon. Continue to follow county websites and social media for the most up-to-date evacuation information as fire season continues.

Closures: The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service have implemented closures in and around the fire area.

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