Wildfire managers raised the alarm again this week as fire danger conditions on the Warm Springs Reservation deteriorated, prompting the U.S. Wildland Fire Service and Warm Springs Fire Management to adjust Industrial Fire Precaution Levels (IFPL) for the area. Effective this week, Zone 1 has been elevated to Level 3, while Zones 2 and 3 have moved to Level 2.

The reservation remains rated at a "High" fire danger, and a reservation-wide burn ban is in effect with no end date announced — conditions on the ground and in the forecast will determine when restrictions ease.

What the Precaution Levels Mean

Industrial Fire Precaution Levels govern what activities can be conducted in or near forested areas during elevated fire risk periods. Higher levels restrict or shut down operations like logging, mechanical work, and equipment use that could ignite a fire. Level 3 — the level now in place for Zone 1 — is a significant escalation that signals extreme caution is required.

For residents, the key takeaways are straightforward: no open burning of any kind is permitted on the reservation, and anyone working outdoors in fire-prone areas should exercise extreme care with any equipment or activity that could generate sparks or heat.

Countywide Restrictions Also in Effect

The reservation is not alone. Jefferson County Fire and EMS confirmed that open burning is currently closed countywide under summer burning restrictions that have been in effect since May. Those restrictions prohibit all open burning except in approved, screened burn barrels with valid permits — and burning hours are limited to sunrise to 10:00 a.m. daily, with fire weather conditions permitting.

The broader 2026 Oregon fire season has been one of the most severe on record, with more than 1.7 million acres burned statewide by early August — approaching the all-time record set in 2024. Drought conditions, low snowpack from last winter, and above-normal temperatures have kept fire danger elevated well into September.

What Residents Should Do

  • Do not burn — no campfires, yard debris burning, or open burning of any kind
  • Avoid parking vehicles on dry grass, which can ignite from a hot exhaust
  • Check fireworks regulations — all fireworks remain prohibited in unincorporated Jefferson County
  • Report smoke or fire immediately by calling 911
  • Create defensible space around homes and outbuildings if not already done
  • Sign up for Jefferson County emergency alerts at jeffersoncountyor.gov

Fire officials stress that the majority of wildfires in Central Oregon are human-caused — and that simple precautions taken today can prevent a catastrophic fire tomorrow.

Conditions are expected to remain dry and warm through mid-September. Residents should monitor updates from Jefferson County Fire and EMS at jcfr1.org and the Oregon Department of Forestry fire restrictions map at oregon.gov/odf for the latest on when restrictions may change.