Bench Fire Nears Full Containment as Warm Springs Community Shifts to Long Recovery

Jefferson County School District 509J is preparing to welcome students back for the 2026-2027 school year, with Madras High School celebrating a record-setting number of Oregon State Seals of Biliteracy earned by the Class of 2026 — a milestone reflecting the district's diverse and multilingual student body.

With Jefferson County under a state drought emergency since April, reduced irrigation allotments from the North Unit Irrigation District, and wildfire smoke complicating fieldwork, area farmers are heading into harvest facing one of the toughest growing seasons in years.

The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs have released the inaugural issue of the Tomahawk Newsletter, spotlighting a new executive leadership team and laying out ambitious plans including a Youth and Elder Center, a Highway 26 rest area, and a warming and cooling shelter for tribal members.

The Bench Fire southwest of Warm Springs has reached 86 percent containment, all evacuation orders have been lifted, and tribal leaders are now focused on the long road to rebuilding — even as Stage 2 fire restrictions remain in place across Jefferson County.

Schools across Jefferson County School District 509J are gearing up for the new academic year. From first-day dates to fall sports tryouts and a back-to-school barbecue in Warm Springs, here’s a roundup of what to expect as students return to classrooms.