Southwest Oregon: Firefighters continue to make progress across all fires despite hot, windy conditions

July 10, 2025

JACKSON & JOSEPHINE COUNTIES, Ore. (July 9, 2025) – Firefighters are continuing aggressive suppression action across all fires in Jackson and Josephine counties, the majority of which were caused by lightning strikes following thunderstorms Monday night. The fire count remains at 72 total between the two counties, with numerous fires already caught and extinguished at small sizes. The remaining fires are staffed with resources, and progress continues to be made across the board despite hot and windy conditions, which can naturally fuel fire growth. Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Complex Incident Management Team 3 was in-briefed by the local district at noon; the team is prepping to take a portion of the fires off the district’s plate as early as 6:00 a.m. tomorrow morning, freeing up local resources to be ready for potential new fire starts.

Today, the following fires remain the largest incidents across the district:

• The Neil Creek Road Fire, located west of I5 mile marker 10 and south of Ashland. Firefighters have been building and holding lines around the fire despite hot, windy conditions. With the help of additional retardant drops today, firefighters have been able to solidify line around 50% of the fire’s perimeter. Tonight, firefighters will continue to work on holding and improving existing lines and building onto them with a goal of completing as much of the perimeter as possible. The fire is still estimated to be 250 acres. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management have placed Zones JAC-536, JAC-542, JAC-543, JAC-546, JAC-558 and JAC-559 under a Level 2 – Be Set to evacuate notice. More information on current evacuations can be found here: https://protect.genasys.com/. One lane of I5 is closed between mile markers 8.5 and 10.5 on both the southbound and northbound sides. Check tripcheck.com for traffic information.
• The Deming Gulch Fire, located northeast of Buncom, is currently estimated at 250 acres. Firefighters have been able to complete line around 10% of the fire’s perimeter. Steep terrain with limited access is creating challenges for firefighters. Aircraft have been working on the incident throughout the day, providing help to firefighters on the ground. Tonight, two additional bulldozers will be working around the perimeter to continue lining the fire’s edge. There are currently no evacuation notices on this incident.
• The Heppsie Mountain Fire, located south of Highway 140, is now 65% lined and remains at 40 acres in size. Firefighters are continuing to push forward on progress despite the heat and wind. Steep slopes and falling trees continue to be hazards to firefighters on this incident. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management have issued a Level 1 – BE READY for a possible evacuation from the following areas: JAC-325-B Heppsie Mountain Road south of Highway 140 and the zone immediately to the south, JAC-326. More information on current evacuations can be found here: https://protect.genasys.com/
• The Poole Hill Fire, located south of the Heppsie Mountain Fire. Firefighters completed their line around the fire’s perimeter today, holding it at a final size of 11.5 acres. Work is continuing to bolster these lines and begin mop-up operations. Evacuation notifications for the Heppsie Mountain Fire apply to this incident as well.
• The North Fork Deer Creek Fire, located in the hills above the 8000-block of Deer Creek Road east of Selma. Firefighters are holding this fire at 42 acres, despite hot and windy conditions. Three 20-person crews, two engines and a water tender have been ordered for tonight’s shift. Resources will work on lining the fire to keep it in its current footprint. There are no current evacuation orders for this incident.
• The Jim Me Peak Fire, located in a remote area south of Applegate. This fire is estimated to be 70 acres and has slightly grown today in hot, windy conditions. Despite this, firefighters have lined 30% of the fire’s edge with a mix of hand-dug line and bulldozer line. Resources will continue to be engaged in an aggressive attack overnight.
• The Palmer Peak Fire, located to the southeast of the Jim Me Peak Fire. Currently estimated to be 90 acres, firefighters have built line around 40% of the fire today. Resources will continue this work overnight.

Numerous other fires are staffed across the district and are being kept at small sizes. Due to the large amount of fires, updates on smaller incidents are not being provided at this time; if conditions change and there are any threats to homes, communities or roads, information will be provided as timely and accurately as possible. Team 3 resources will also provide additional support to public information needs.

ODF and the Bureau of Land Management greatly appreciate the support of our communities during the aggressive firefight that has ensued since Monday evening; local firefighters and resources have been working around the clock since the first reports of smoke were taken, and the outpouring of support from southern Oregon is seen, heard and felt, providing continued motivation to the boots on the ground.

High fire danger is currently in effect on ODF-protected land in Jackson and Josephine counties; as firefighters work to extinguish these natural fire starts, help prevent new human-caused fires from sparking by following all regulations currently in place: https://swofire.com/public-fire-restrictions/.

For fire information anytime, visit our Facebook page, @ODFSouthwest or our website, www.swofire.com.

Dept. of Forestry Complex Incident Management Team 3 makes progress on lightning fires as temperatures increase in Southwest Oregon

July 10, 2025

JACKSON & JOSEPHINE COUNTIES, Ore. (July 10, 2025)—Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Complex Incident Management Team 3 assumed command of the Grizzly Complex this morning, and the Neil Creek Road Fire that is not part of the complex. ODF Southwest Oregon District continues suppression efforts on additional fires started by lightning on Monday.

At this time, more than 1,300 personnel are assigned to the fires, with many more on the way. These additional crews and resources continue to arrive to provide relief to existing local district personnel, allowing them to continue work on other fires within the district and be ready to respond to potential new fire starts.

Significant progress was made on numerous fires managed by both district personnel and ODF Team 3 with continued aggressive, direct suppression efforts. “Increased temperatures, windy conditions and rugged terrain challenged crews today, but it was a successful day of safe firefighting,” said ODF Team 3 Incident Commander Tyler McCarty.

Today, the following fires remain the largest incidents across the district:

• The Neil Creek Road Fire, located west of I-5 mile marker 10 and south of Ashland. Today, crews completed dozer line on the south end of the fire and continued to build direct lines elsewhere around the fire’s perimeter. Crews continued mop-up operations along the north end of the fire. The fire remains estimated at 250 acres. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management are maintaining evacuation notices for Zones JAC-536, JAC-542, JAC-543, JAC-546, JAC-558 and JAC-559 under a Level 2 – Be Set. More information on current evacuations can be found at: https://protect.genasys.com/. One lane of I-5 is closed between mile markers 8.5 and 10.5 on southbound lanes only. Check tripcheck.com for up-to-date traffic information.
• The Deming Gulch Fire, located northeast of Buncom, is currently estimated at 250 acres. Firefighters continued additional line construction along the west flank and will begin adding hose lays through night shift tonight. There are currently no evacuation notices on this incident.
• The Heppsie Mountain Fire, located south of Highway 140. Firefighters completed 65% of the line around the the Heppsie Mountain Fire today, and began mop up that will continue into the night, it’s still estimated to be 40 acres in size. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management have issued a Level 1 – BE READY for a possible evacuation from the following areas: JAC-325-B Heppsie Mountain Road south of Highway 140 and the zone immediately to the south, JAC-326. More information on current evacuations can be found here: https://protect.genasys.com/.
• The Poole Hill Fire, located south of the Heppsie Mountain Fire. Firefighters continue mop up operations while maintaining lines, keeping the fire at a final size of 11.5 acres. Evacuation notifications for the Heppsie Mountain Fire apply to this incident as well.
• The North Fork Deer Creek Fire, located in the hills above the 8000-block of Deer Creek Road east of Selma. Crews continue mop up operations, holding it at 42 acres. There are no current evacuation orders for this incident.
• The Jim Me Peak Fire, located in a remote area south of Applegate. The fire remained very active today, but firefighters continue to remain heavily engaged in an aggressive attack as hot, windy conditions persist into the evening.
• The Palmer Peak Fire, located to the southeast of the Jim Me Peak Fire. Today, firefighters completed line around the fire, and mop up operations have begun. The fire is currently estimated to be 90 acres.
• The Holcomb Peak Fire, located southwest of Williams. Today, firefighters worked to hold line around the fire and build more. Hot and windy conditions challenged crews, but resources will remain engaged overnight.

Aircraft were used heavily all day, contributing to success across all fires in the district. As a reminder, drone use around fires is illegal, and incredibly dangerous to pilots working on incidents; if you fly, we can’t. All illegal drone use will be reported to law enforcement.

Most of these fires were caused by lightning strikes following thunderstorms Monday night. The fire count remains at 72 total between the two counties, with numerous fires already caught and extinguished at small sizes.

Other small fires are still staffed across the district. Due to the large number of fires, updates on smaller incidents are not being provided at this time; if conditions change and there are any threats to homes, communities or roads, information will be provided as timely and accurately as possible.

High fire danger is currently in effect on ODF-protected land in Jackson and Josephine counties; as firefighters work to extinguish these natural fire starts, help prevent new human-caused fires from sparking by following all regulations currently in place: https://swofire.com/public-fire-restrictions/.

For fire local information anytime, visit the district’s Facebook page, @ODFSouthwest or website, www.swofire.com.

Southwest Oregon: ODF Incident Management Team in-briefs on lightning fires this morning, aggressive attack continues across district

July 9, 2025

JACKSON & JOSEPHINE COUNTIES, Ore. (July 9, 2025) – The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Southwest Oregon District is continuing to put up an aggressive attack on fires across Jackson and Josephine counties that were sparked by thunderstorms Monday night. In all, 72 have been identified on ODF-protected land in the two counties, and since the start of the storm, firefighters have worked nonstop to respond to all reports of fire, keeping them as small as possible with the limited resources that are currently available. This morning, Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Complex Incident Management Team 3 will in-brief at noon to take a portion of the fires off the district’s plate, allowing local firefighters to focus on a smaller number of lingering fires and be ready for any new reports of fire that could come in. Team 3 is expected to take command of their assigned incidents at 6:00 p.m. tonight.

Overnight, firefighters remained engaged on fires across both counties, the largest being the Neil Creek Road Fire located west of I5 and south of Ashland. It’s estimated to be 250 acres and forced the closure of one lane of I5 southbound overnight between mile markers 8.5 and 10.5. This lane closure is still currently in effect, check tripcheck.com for updates. This fire has also prompted the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management to place Level 2 evacuation notices into effect for the surrounding area; all evacuation information can be found here: https://protect.genasys.com/. The second largest fire is the Deming Gulch Fire located northeast of Buncom, estimated at 200 acres this morning. No evacuation notices are currently in effect for this incident.

“We recognize how these fires are affecting our communities, and that’s why our attack on them has been so aggressive from the start,” ODF Southwest Oregon District Forester Dan Quinones said. “With the amount of lightning and limited rain that came with Monday’s storm, we knew the possibility of a large number of fires across the district was on the table, and we geared up to fight. That is a position that we have not let up on since then. Our communities can be proud of our local firefighters – they answered the call two days ago and have tirelessly continued to since then.”

This morning, the largest fires across the district include:

• The Neil Creek Road Fire, located west of I5 mile marker 10 and south of Ashland. Firefighters are estimating the fire is 250 acres and were finding and extinguishing spot fires overnight due to windy conditions. Building a line around the fire’s perimeter will continue to be the main objective today, with structural firefighters staging to protect homes and outbuildings in the nearby area. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management have placed Zones JAC-536, JAC-542, JAC-543, JAC-546, JAC-558 and JAC-559 under a Level 2 – Be Set to evacuate notice. More information on current evacuations can be found here: https://protect.genasys.com/. One lane of I5 southbound is closed between mile markers 8.5 and 10.5. Check tripcheck.com for traffic information.
• The Deming Gulch Fire, located northeast of Buncom, is currently estimated at 200 acres. Firefighters remained engaged on the fire overnight, including engines and bulldozers. Firefighters are working to line the fire and today, six 20-person crews and a bulldozer are assigned to this incident. Aircraft will also be used as needed. There are currently no evacuation notices on this incident.
• The Heppsie Mountain Fire, located south of Highway 140. The fire remains 50% lined and is considered 30% contained overall. Strong winds threatened the lines built around the fire, but resources were able to keep it in its current footprint of an estimated 40 acres overnight. One engine, five bulldozers, four sets of tree fallers, four 20-person crews and aircraft will continue to be assigned to the fire today. Steep slopes and falling trees continue to be hazards to firefighters on this incident. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management have issued a Level 1 – BE READY for a possible evacuation from the following areas: JAC-325-B Heppsie Mountain Road south of Highway 140 and the zone immediately to the south, JAC-326. More information on current evacuations can be found here: https://protect.genasys.com/
• The Poole Hill Fire, located south of the Heppsie Mountain Fire. The fire is still estimated to be between 12 – 15 acres, however firefighters continue to make progress, holding onto the 80% of line that was built through strong winds. Work will continue today with the goal of closing the perimeter if possible, however steep slopes are creating a challenge to firefighters. Evacuation notifications for the Heppsie Mountain Fire apply to this incident as well.
• The Jim Me Peak Fire, located in a remote area south of Applegate. This fire is estimated to be 40 acres and has burned into another small nearby fire named the Ladybug Gulch Fire, which was originally 4.5 acres. These two fere caused by lightning strikes located in very close proximity, which led to the fires burning into one. Resources continue to be engaged in an aggressive attack. Multiple 20-person crews, engines and bulldozers have been ordered and will continue progress on lining the fire’s edge today.
• The Palmer Peak Fire, located to the southeast of the Jim Me Peak Fire. Currently estimated to be 90 acres, firefighters are continuing an aggressive attack. Engines, a bulldozer and aircraft have been working on this incident and will continue to today.

Across all incidents, 435 personnel will be working today’s dayshift. Additional resources are continuing to be ordered as needed, however some have not readily been available due to current state and nationwide incidents. Despite these challenges, firefighters have successfully extinguished 11 fires across the district, the largest being the Pompadour Fire located east of Ashland at 38 acres. This work has been done in partnership with our local and federal partners; Collectively as a firefighting system, our continued goal is to keep all fires as small as possible and extinguish them as fast as we can.

High fire danger is currently in effect on ODF-protected land in Jackson and Josephine counties; as firefighters work to extinguish these natural fire starts, help prevent new human-caused fires from sparking by following all regulations currently in place: https://swofire.com/public-fire-restrictions/

For fire information anytime, visit our Facebook page, @ODFSouthwest or our website, www.swofire.com.

Aggressive initial attack continues on lightning-caused fires across Jackson and Josephine counties, ODF Incident Management Team 3 ordered

July 8, 2025

JACKSON & JOSEPHINE COUNTIES, Ore. (July 8, 2025) – Firefighters continued an aggressive initial attack on numerous fires caused by thunderstorms Monday night, making significant progress on the largest fires initially identified, but also responding to multiple new reports of fire throughout the day on Tuesday. In total across Jackson and Josephine counties, 72 fires on ODF-protected land have been confirmed by reconnaissance flights, detection cameras and firefighters.

Due to the sheer volume of incidents, the potential for additional holdover fires and predicted dry thunderstorms tonight in Jackson County, the district has ordered Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Complex Incident Management Team 3, which will mobilize from ODF Districts across Oregon tomorrow morning. With direction from the district, the team will take command of a portion of the fires to free up local resources, bring in additional expertise and personnel, as well as give local firefighters a short reprieve before returning to initial attack readiness.

“Our firefighters have been working around the clock to keep these fires as small as we can, but resources are becoming limited, especially with other incidents across Oregon and the country competing for the same emergency response professionals,” ODF Southwest Oregon District Forester Dan Quinones said. “Bringing in ODF IMT 3 will allow us to regain our strength locally, handing some of these fires off to firefighters who hold the same drive to take them off the map as quickly as possible. Protecting our communities and putting out fires remain our top priorities.”

Tonight, the largest fires across the district include:

• The Heppsie Mountain Fire, located south of Highway 140. Firefighters made excellent progress on this incident today, lining 50% of the perimeter. Firefighters now estimate the fire to be closer to 40 acres. Engines, bulldozers and aircraft have been assigned to the fire and continue to fight the fire aggressively. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management have issued a Level 1 – BE READY for a possible evacuation from the following areas: JAC-325-B Heppsie Mountain Road south of Highway 140 and the zone immediately to the south, JAC-326. More information on current evacuations can be found here: https://protect.genasys.com/
• The Poole Hill Fire, located south of the Heppsie Mountain Fire. Firefighters are estimating the fire has grown to 12 – 15 acres, however they have made significant progress on the incident, lining 80% of the fire’s perimeter today. Numerous resources have been ordered for this incident tonight, including two 20-person crews, a water tender and additional engines. Evacuation notifications for the Heppsie Mountain Fire apply to this incident as well.
• The Pompadour Fire, located in the hills east of Ashland off of East Nevada Street and Pompadour Drive. Firefighters caught this fire at 38 acres and have completed lining and mopping up the entire incident. The resources assigned to this fire have been dispatched to new fire reports.
• The Deming Gulch Fire, located northeast of Buncom, is currently estimated at 350 acres. Numerous resources are engaged on the fire, including engines and bulldozers. Firefighters are working to line the fire. There are currently no evacuation notices on this incident.
• The Neil Creek Road Fire, located west of I5 mile marker 10 and south of Ashland. Firefighters are holding the fire at 35 acres with several successful retardant drops this afternoon. Traffic to I5 is not being impacted by this fire. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management have placed Zone JAC-543 under Level 1 – Be Ready to evacuate notice and zones JAC-536, JAC-542 and JAC-558 under a Level 2 – Be Set to evacuate notice. More information on current evacuations can be found here: https://protect.genasys.com/
• The Jim Me Peak Fire, located in a remote area south of Applegate. This fire is estimated to be 30 acres and resources are engaged in an aggressive initial attack. Multiple 20-person crews, engines and bulldozers are being ordered to work on this fire overnight and continue progress on lining the fire’s edge.
• The Palmer Peak Fire, located to the southeast of the Jim Me Peak Fire. Currently estimated to be 20 acres, firefighters are continuing an aggressive initial attack. Engines, a bulldozer and aircraft have been working on this incident.

Numerous additional fires have been stopped at a small size and are 100% lined and mopped up this evening. All other staffed fires are estimated to be between 1/10 of an acre and 10 acres in size. Numerous reconnaissance flights have provided invaluable information throughout the day, allowing firefighters to be strategic about resources needed, helping to prioritize where the greatest needs are. The majority of these fires are located on steep slopes high in elevation where lightning naturally strikes, creating the added challenge of navigating to and accessing the fires. Aircraft has played a vital role in slowing the spread of numerous fires, allowing firefighters to gain access and begin initial attack. The ODF Southwest Oregon Detection Center has also been monitoring cameras in these strike areas today and helped to confirm smoke or fires found across the district when aircraft was unable for reconnaissance.

ODF resources are continuing to work with our federal partners at the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in response to these fires, as well as local and county structural fire departments. This teamwork is a direct reflection of the complete and coordinated fire response system in place here in southern Oregon.

High fire danger is currently in effect on ODF-protected land in Jackson and Josephine counties; as firefighters work to extinguish these natural fire starts, help prevent new human-caused fires from sparking by following all regulations currently in place: https://swofire.com/public-fire-restrictions/

For fire information anytime, visit our Facebook page, @ODFSouthwest or our website, www.swofire.com.

Firefighters responding to more than 50 reports of fires following thunderstorms in Jackson and Josephine counties

July 8, 2025

JACKSON & JOSEPHINE COUNTIES, Ore. (July 8, 2025) – Firefighters with the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Southwest Oregon District are continuing to respond to 53 reports of smoke and fire following thunderstorms that moved through Jackson and Josephine counties Monday evening. Of the 53 reports, 17 have been found to be duplicates or not fires, resulting in 22 confirmed fires across the district and an additional 14 reports that are pending. Resources have been engaged on these 22 incidents all night, and as a result, seven are already 100% lined and mopped up, leaving 15 active and staffed. As fires are lined and mopped up, resources are continually being dispatched to pending calls.

This morning, firefighters remain engaged on three major fires, the largest being an estimated 50 acres in size. The following is a current look at incident status:

• The Heppsie Mountain Fire, located off of Highway 140 north of Lake Creek. Estimated to be 50 acres, this fire is located on steep terrain with numerous hazard trees. Overnight, large trees were falling while firefighters were working in the area. Resources ordered for today’s dayshift include four 20-person crews, five bulldozers, three sets of tree fallers, two water tenders and one engine, totaling 100 personnel. Additionally, two Large Air Tankers (LATs), two Type 1 helicopters and an air attack plane have also been ordered. Firefighters will focus on falling hazard trees and working to line the fire and keep it as small as possible.
• The Poole Hill Fire, located south of the Heppsie Mountain Fire across South Fork Little Butte Creek Road, is estimated to be three to five acres. Firefighters are actively engaged on this incident. Due to the proximity of the Heppsie Mountain and Poole Hill fires, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management issued a Level 1 – BE READY evacuation notice for the 11000-block of South Fork Little Butte Creek Road last night, which remains in place this morning. More information is available here: https://protect.genasys.com/. This is the only current evacuation notice in place on any fire. Additional fire reports have been made in this area; recon flights beginning at 8:00 a.m. will provide additional information to firefighters on the ground.
• The Pompadour Fire, located in the hills east of Ashland off of East Nevada Street and Pompadour Drive. Firefighters were able to line 100% of the fire’s perimeter and stop its growth at 38 acres. Overnight, resources began mop-up operations and have completed 10%. Today, four 20-person crews, two bulldozers and one engine are assigned to the fire, totaling 86 personnel. Aircraft will be ordered as needed.

All other staffed fires are estimated to be between 1/10 of an acre and six acres. This morning, two reconnaissance flights will be launching at 8:00 a.m., covering all strike areas across the district. These flights will provide better information in the daylight of current fires, and allow us to get eyes on pending reports, confirm duplicate reports and provide insight on fire status to be strategic with ordering and dispatching resources. The ODF Southwest Oregon Detection Center will also be monitoring cameras in these strike areas today and reporting any smoke or fires found across the district.

Last night, a strike team of five engines from the ODF Southern Oregon Area arrived and were dispatched to fires; this morning, another five-engine strike team is mobilizing from the ODF Northwest Oregon Area. The district has also ordered an additional two 20-person crews, seven engines, one water tender and one bulldozer to be available where needed as initial attack on these fires continues. In total, 266 personnel are assigned to these fires for today’s dayshift, and more resources will be ordered and assigned for Tuesday night where needed.

ODF resources are continuing to work with our federal partners at the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in response to these fires, as well as local and county structural fire departments. This teamwork is a direct reflection of the complete and coordinated fire response system in place here in southern Oregon.

High fire danger is currently in effect on ODF-protected land in Jackson and Josephine counties; as firefighters work to extinguish these natural fire starts, help prevent new human-caused fires from sparking by following all regulations currently in place: https://swofire.com/public-fire-restrictions/

For fire information anytime, visit our Facebook page, @ODFSouthwest or our website, www.swofire.com.

ODF’s aggressive initial attack keeps multiple fires small

July 3, 2025

Salem, Ore. – Since Monday, the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Southern and Eastern Oregon Area firefighters have responded to over 100 new fire starts, both lightning and human-caused, and anticipate more to come during the holiday weekend. Through the agency’s aggressive initial attack tactics, most of the fires have been contained to an average of about half an acre.

In the Southern Oregon Area (all ODF-protected land from around Eugene down to the California border west of the Cascades), ODF firefighters and resources have responded to 10 lightning-caused fires and 43 human-caused fires since Monday.

In the Eastern Oregon Area (all ODF-protected land east of the Cascades), ODF firefighters and resources from the Klamath-Lake, Central Oregon, and Northeast Oregon Districts have responded to over 65 new fire starts, most of which were caused by lightning. Alongside the lightning, firefighters in this area have faced the added difficulty of dry and windy conditions, making the fires more difficult to catch and suppress.

On top of their initial attack efforts, the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Central Oregon District responded to and supported the extended attack operations for the Grizzly Flat fire (624 acres) and the Larch Creek Fire (92 acres). Both fire’s forward progression has been stopped. In addition, the Klamath-Lake District went into extended attack and suppressed the Bowers Bridge Fire (40 acres).

Fire managers anticipate these numbers will double over the weekend due to human activities like fireworks, which are prohibited in state forests and on ODF-protected land.

With the recent lightning in both areas, it’s important for Oregonians to help prevent wildfire by checking local restrictions before bringing fire hazards onto the landscape and actively practicing wildfire prevention while they recreate.

We can’t prevent lightning-caused fires, but by preventing human-caused fires we can help reduce the strain on Oregon’s firefighters and other resources.

Oregon recognizes National Wildland Firefighter Day

July 2, 2025

Salem, Ore. – In support of Oregon’s wildland firefighters on National Wildland Firefighter Day, Governor Tina Kotek has issued a proclamation declaring July 2, 2025, Wildland Firefighter Day in the state of Oregon.

“In a state with such prevalent wildfire, we are so thankful to the firefighters, dispatchers and support personnel who work long hours, day after day, protecting our communities and natural resources. And we remember those that have fallen in the line of service,” Michael Curran, the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Fire Protection Division Chief, said.

The Oregon Department of Forestry would like to thank the thousands of local, state, tribal, federal, and contract firefighters, along with all the dispatchers, map creators, IT specialists, equipment operators, radio technicians, prevention specialists, and everyone else who has a role in Oregon’s wildfire response.

Wildland Firefighter Day occurs every year during the Wildland Firefighter Week of Remembrance (June 30-July 6). The Week of Remembrance was established in 2014 and is bookended by the dates of two significant tragedies in the wildland firefighter community: Yarnell Hill fire in Arizona on June 30, 2013, and the South Canyon fire in Colorado on July 6, 1994. On the Yarnell Hill fire, 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots were killed when a weather shift intensified the fire and cut off the firefighters’ escape route. On the South Canyon fire, 14 wildland firefighters were killed on Storm King Mountain when they were entrapped by spot fires. This week honors those lost in the line of duty while also focusing on improving wildland firefighter safety to mitigate risk as best we can in an inherently dangerous career field.

Fire danger level increases to High on ODF protected lands in Northeast Oregon District

June 30, 2025

La Grande, OR – The risk of wildfires is increasing rapidly due to warmer and drier weather. In response, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) for the Northeast Oregon District is implementing High Fire Restrictions on land they protect, effective at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. The primary goal of these additional fire prevention measures is to reduce the risk of human-caused fires. “Forecasts indicate that we will experience typical summer weather in the coming weeks, accompanied by elevated temperatures. Given these conditions and the escalating fire danger, we are enforcing stricter fire restrictions,” stated Justin Lauer, District Forester.

These restrictions affect private, state, county, municipal, and tribal lands in Union, Baker, Wallowa, and Umatilla counties along with small portions of Malheur, Morrow, and Grant counties within the Northeast Oregon Forest Protection District.  This area encompasses approximately 2 million acres of protected lands. ODF encourages landowners and the public to help prevent accidental ignitions by taking extra precautions while recreating or working, it can make a difference.

The Public Use Restrictions (High Fire Danger) include the following fire prevention measures:

• Open fires are prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires, and warming fires, except at designated locations.

• 1. Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed.

• 2. Propane fire pits are allowed if they are self-contained and 3 feet away from any flammable fuels with a maximum flame height of 2 feet.

• Non-industrial Chainsaw use is prohibited from noon to 8 p.m.

• 1. Non-industrial chainsaw use is allowed at all other hours if the following firefighting equipment is present with each operating saw: one shovel or other firefighting tool and one 8-ounce or larger fire extinguisher or 1-gallon of water.  In addition, a fire watch is required at least one hour following the end of chainsaw use.

• 2. Electric Chainsaws are allowed all day.

• Cutting, grinding, and welding of metal is prohibited from Noon-8 p.m. Cutting, grinding, and welding of metal is permitted at all other hours, if conducted in a 10-foot area cleared of flammable vegetation, shovel or other firefighting tool, a minimum of 1-gallon of water, or 2 ½ pound or larger fire extinguisher.
• Mowing dried and cured grass with power-driven equipment is prohibited from noon to 8 p.m., except for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops.

• 1. Electric string trimmers are allowed all day.

• Any electric fence controller in use shall be: 1) Listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory or certified by the Department of Consumer and Business Services; and 2) Operated in compliance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Possession of the following firefighting equipment is required for any vehicle/UTV/ATV traveling on unimproved roadways where flammable vegetation exists on roadway: shovel or other firefighting tool, minimum of 1-gallon of water, or 2 ½ pound or larger fire extinguisher.

PROHIBITED:

• All open debris burning, and the use of burn barrels.
• Use of fireworks.
• Use of exploding targets.
• Use of tracer ammunition or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base.
• Smoking while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water, or in a cleared area free of flammable vegetation.
• Use of sky lanterns throughout the year in Oregon.

For further information, contact the Oregon Department of Forestry at these local offices:

            La Grande Unit                                 (541) 963-3168

            Baker City Sub-Unit                     (541) 523-5831

            Wallowa Unit                                   (541) 886-2881

            Pendleton Unit                               (541) 276-3491

Current fire restrictions for forestlands in Northeast Oregon can be found at www.bmidc.org or by calling the Northeast Oregon Fire Prevention line: (541) 975-3027.

http://bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com/is your spot for current fire information in the Blue Mountains.  Find us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/oregondeptofforestryNEO/

Call Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch at (541)963-7171 or dial 9-1-1 to report a fire.

Fire danger level increases to high, IFPL 2 on ODF-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties

June 30, 2025

JACKSON & JOSEPHINE COUNTIES, Ore. (June 30, 2025) – The fire danger level on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Southwest Oregon District will increase to “high” (yellow) and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) will increase to Level 2 (two) on Wednesday, July 2, 2025 at 12:01 a.m. This increase is due to consistent hot temperatures, dry vegetation and the threat of thunderstorms and unpreventable lightning-caused fire potential. This change affects 1.8 million acres of state, private, county and Bureau of Land Management lands in Jackson and Josephine counties.

The primary difference between current fire prevention restrictions and those beginning on Wednesday affects the public use of power-driven equipment, such as chainsaws, mowers, weed eaters, and more. The use of power-driven equipment, grinding, cutting of metal, and other spark-emitting equipment, such as wood splitters and generators, will be prohibited between the hours of 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. This does not apply to mowing green lawns.

Other fire prevention regulations which will remain in effect, include:

• No debris burning, including piles and debris burned in burn barrels
• No fireworks on or within 1/8th of a mile of ODF-protected land. Fireworks are prohibited on all BLM land
• Exploding targets and tracer ammunition, or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base, are prohibited
• Campfires are allowed only in designated campgrounds. Portable stoves or fire pits using liquefied or bottled fuels may be used in other locations that are clear of dry vegetation at all times
• Motorized vehicles, including motorcycles and all-terrain, are allowed only on improved roads; one shovel and one gallon of water, or one 2.5 pound or larger fire extinguisher, is required while traveling
• Smoking while traveling will only be allowed in enclosed vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water and other specifically designated locations
• Chainsaws may not be used between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. during high fire danger. During hours outside of this time frame, chainsaws may be used but require that the operator have one shovel and one 8-oz or larger fire extinguisher at the work site. A fire watch is also required for one hour after each chainsaw use
• Cutting, grinding, and welding of metal is not allowed between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. during high fire danger. These activities will be allowed during hours outside of this time frame only if the work site is cleared of potentially flammable vegetation and other materials, and a water supply is at the job site
• The mowing of dead or dried grass with power-driven equipment is not allowed between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. during high fire danger, including equipment powered by gas, electricity or batteries. This restriction does not include mowing of green lawns, or equipment used for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops
• Any other spark-emitting internal combustion engine-use not specifically mentioned is not allowed between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. during high fire danger. Use of any spark-emitting internal combustion engine is allowed outside of this time frame only if the work site is cleared of potentially flammable vegetation and other materials, and a water supply is at the job site
• Any electric fence controllers must be approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories Inc., or be certified by the Department of Consumer and Business Services, and be installed and used in compliance with the fence controller’s instructions for fire safe operation

For industrial operations, under IFPL II (Two) – limited shutdown, which is entirely separate from all public fire restrictions, the following may operate after 8 p.m. and up until 1 p.m. daily:

• Power saws, except at loading sites
• Feller-bunchers with rotary head saws
• Cable yarding
• Blasting
• Welding, cutting, or grinding of metal

For more information about the Oregon Department of Forestry’s fire season restrictions, please call or visit the Southwest Oregon District unit office nearest to you:

• Medford Unit, 5286 Table Rock Rd., Central Point. (541) 664-3328
• Grants Pass Unit, 5375 Monument Dr., Grants Pass. (541) 474-3152

Fire season information is also available online at our Facebook page, @ODFSouthwest and our website, www.swofire.com.

ODF North Cascade District fire season begins July 1

June 27, 2025

Stayton, Ore. – Fire season on all lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) North Cascade District will begin July 1, 2025, at 12:01 a.m., and the district’s fire danger level will be “moderate”. The North Cascade District protects state and private lands in Multnomah, Clackamas, Linn and Marion counties.

The launch of fire season sets into motion several fire prevention measures for the general public and forest operations. First and foremost, debris burning will no longer be permitted. If you were unable to burn your yard debris this spring, cover burn piles and wait until late fall or winter when burning is allowed and conditions are more suitable.

Under moderate fire danger and regulated closure, the following public activities are prohibited on forestlands:

• The use of fireworks, tracer ammunition, exploding targets and sky lanterns.
• Discharging an exploding target within one-eight mile of the district’s boundaries is also prohibited.
• The use of fuse and caps for blasting, unless approval is granted by the forester.

Additionally, the following activities are restricted on forestlands under moderate fire danger:

• Recreational fires; including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires; are only allowed in designated locations.
• Smoking is only allowed in vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water, and other designated locations.

Public use restrictions will change as fire danger goes up or down. Stay current on fire danger and restrictions wherever you are this summer by visiting https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/restrictions.aspx.

In addition to these public use restrictions, fire season requirements for forest operations also go into effect. Fire season starts with Industrial Fire Precaution Level 1. Operators are required to have fire tools, water supply, spark arresters and a fire watch on site. Smoking and the use of fuse and caps for blasting are prohibited.

The Oregon Department of Forestry urges residents to not become complacent in wildfire prevention this fire season. The fewer human-caused fires we have, the less the district’s resources are strained. For tips on wildfire prevention, visit www.keeporegongreen.org

Check your local restrictions at https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/restrictions.aspx.

Suppression repair on Rowena Fire in the Columbia Gorge continues ahead of inclement weather

June 21, 2025

THE DALLES, Ore. – The local Type 3 management team has made progress on wildfire suppression repair, chipping slash and using heavy equipment to restore areas affected by wildfire suppression efforts. As the restoration continues, crews will begin a glide path to demobilizing.

Today, there is a 70% chance of rain with west winds ranging 10-20 mph, gusts up 25 mph, and a slight chance of lightning. Given the forecast, firefighters are preparing for inclement weather. A soft closure of Highway 30 remains in place, local traffic only advised.

Wasco County will hold two Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) events next week to continue to assist individuals and families who have lost their homes or experienced significant damage due to the Rowena Wildfire. Public, private, and nonprofit organizations will join at the Gloria Center, located at 2505 W 7th St. in The Dalles, to offer a wide range of services and resources. MARC events will be held on Monday, June 23 from 12 to 3 PM and Wednesday, June 25 from 4 to 6 PM. For questions about the MARC, call 541-506-2724.

All evacuations have been lifted by the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office: www.facebook.com/WascoCountySheriff

The Rowena Fire Facebook page will remain open for now. A local Public Information Officer will remain available for further inquiry about the Rowena Fire via the email above.

Estimated Size: 3,700 acres

Containment: 93%

Cause: Under investigation

Estimated Cost: $9,135,821.00

Number of Personnel: 80

ODF Incident Commander: Brian Reel

Firefighters from multiple agencies are working to stop a fire at junction of Highway 126 and Highway 36 at Mapleton in Lane County

June 19, 2025

VENETA, Ore. – Firefighters are actively engaged on a fire burning at the junction of Highway 126 and Highway 36 at Mapleton. The Rice Road Fire has caused the Oregon Dept. of Transportation to close both highways at the junction in both directions. Motorists are asked to avoid the area for their safety and that of firefighters working to put out the fire.

The fire was reported at 1:42 p.m. Firefighters from the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Western Lane District responded as well as firefighting units from the Coos Forest Protective Association, the USDA Forest Service and several rural fire districts. The fire is estimated at five to six acres in size. The cause is under investigation.

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office issued a Level 3 Go Now evacuation order at 2:10 p.m. for residents on Rice Road, Hillcrest Road and First Avenue in Mapleton. Questions about evacuations should be directed to the Sheriff’s Office Dispatch at 541-520-2646, option 1.

ODF has six fire engines, a hand crew of 20, two fallers, a dozer and a Type 2 (midsize) helicopter working on the fire today.

Although temperatures in the area were in the 60s today, dry conditions across much of western Oregon highlight the increasing risk of fires starting from almost any source.  That’s one reason almost all of ODF’s districts are already in declared fire seasons, with various restrictions in place to reduce possible fire starts. To find restrictions in your area, go to https://gisapps.odf.oregon.gov/firerestrictions/pfr.html

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