A new wildfire ignited near Warm Springs on May 14, as Jefferson County and the broader Central Oregon region contend with fire restrictions already in place weeks ahead of summer — a sign of what state officials are calling a potentially severe and extended fire year.

Starting today, May 14, campfires are prohibited along portions of the Crooked, Deschutes, John Day, and White Rivers, as well as on BLM lands bordering Lake Billy Chinook and Lake Simtustus. The restrictions run through October 15.

A mountain lion was reportedly seen entering City Park in Madras last week, days after a Madras woman captured dramatic security camera footage of a cougar pacing on her porch at 6 a.m. Oregon State Police and Fish and Wildlife have been notified, though no tracks have been confirmed.

Jefferson County Fire and EMS closed all open burning at sunset May 3 due to drying fuels and weather conditions. Summer burn restrictions are now in effect, and the 2026 Oregon fire season officially began May 8. Here is what residents need to know.

A cougar was reported in Madras City Park on Oak Street on May 5, and additional sightings have been reported in Warm Springs. Residents are urged to be cautious, especially near wooded areas and parks.

Jefferson County's summer burn restrictions took effect May 3, with open burning now prohibited. State officials warn Oregon faces one of its most severe fire seasons in years due to record-low snowpack, early drought, and an emerging El Niño pattern.

Jefferson County Fire & EMS closed all open burning effective May 3 due to drying fuels and forecasted conditions. The statewide 2026 fire season officially began May 8. Residents should know the rules before striking a match.

Jefferson County issued a public alert after a cougar was spotted near City Park in downtown Madras this week, following video evidence of a mountain lion on a south Madras porch the week prior. Separately, summer burn restrictions took effect May 4 due to dry conditions and elevated fire danger.

Sometimes change isn’t progress—it’s politics. Jefferson County’s 2024 Fire and EMS merger is a textbook example of how a “solution in search of a problem” can take two functioning organizations and tangle them in bureaucracy, debt, and confusion. A System That Worked Before the merger, Jefferson County Fire District #1 and Jefferson County EMS had … Read more

By Susan, Madras BulletinJune 17, 2025 As Central Oregon braces for what could be one of the most dangerous wildfire seasons in recent memory, two active fires—the Rowena Fire near The Dalles and the Alder Springs Fire northeast of Madras—are igniting concern and disruption across communities. ???? Rowena Fire: First Major Conflagration of the Season … Read more

June 17, 2025 – A rapidly expanding wildfire known as the Alder Springs Fire has prompted mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders in areas surrounding Crooked River Ranch and parts of Jefferson and Deschutes Counties. ???? Fire Status & Spread ???? Evacuation Levels & Areas Affected Evacuation staging areas are set up at: ???? Firefighting Resources ????️ Weather & Wildfire Conditions … Read more