Madras Aquatic Center Recall Election Set for August 4 — What Voters Need to Know

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Tribal Council has passed a unanimous resolution supporting a feasibility study to potentially site a new Highway 26 rest area on reservation lands — a project that could bring economic opportunity, improved highway safety, and new small business development to the community.

The 2026 Jefferson County Fair & Rodeo wraps up tonight in Madras with its final rodeo performance and evening events. Despite a week of wildfire smoke hanging over Central Oregon, thousands of community members turned out to celebrate agriculture, youth programs, and western heritage.

Stacy Chiddix, 58, of Madras died Monday in an ATV crash while trying to protect his property from the advancing Brewer Fire. His death is a sobering reminder of the dangers facing rural residents as wildfires sweep across Jefferson County.

A new wildfire ignited just after midnight Thursday northeast of Madras, prompting Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation orders and the closure of US Highway 97 as firefighters work to contain the rapidly spreading Ten Mile Fire near Baker Canyon.

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are among five Oregon tribes pursuing federal legislation that would transfer public lands back into tribal ownership — a historic effort that conservation groups say intersects with broader questions about land stewardship in the Pacific Northwest.