Fire season is underway across Jefferson County and the broader Central Oregon region, and officials are warning that 2026 could be one of the most dangerous wildfire years in recent memory — fueled by record-low snowpack, prolonged drought, and the arrival of hotter, drier summer conditions.

Red Flag Warning This Week

A Red Flag Warning was issued this week for Fire Weather Zone 700 — the Central Mountains of Oregon — due to dry lightning and outflow winds forecast at up to 45 miles per hour. Red Flag conditions dramatically increase the risk that any ignition, whether from a lightning strike, equipment, or careless human activity, can rapidly grow into a large, destructive wildfire.

Residents in and around Jefferson County, including communities like Culver, Metolius, Crooked River Ranch, Ashwood, and areas east of the Cascades, are urged to stay informed and have evacuation plans ready.

Burn Bans and Restrictions Now in Effect

The Oregon Department of Forestry's Central Oregon District declared fire season effective May 8, 2026 — making it the first ODF district statewide to do so this year. Since then, restrictions have steadily tightened.

Current bans prohibit:

  • Recreational campfires and fire pits on non-federal lands
  • Yard debris and agricultural burning
  • The use of fireworks and exploding targets on national forest and BLM lands (a permanent prohibition)

The Deschutes National Forest and Ochoco National Forest/Crooked River National Grassland have separate restrictions on federal public lands. Visitors and residents should check with each jurisdiction before lighting any fire outdoors.

Why 2026 Is Different

The National Interagency Fire Center projected above-normal wildfire potential for the Northwest east of the Cascades beginning in June — and those conditions are now here. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek issued drought emergency declarations for Jefferson County and several neighboring counties earlier this year as the snowpack failed to materialize.

An early-season fire in La Pine in March was a harbinger of things to come. Fire officials say they are staffed and ready, but stress that prevention is the most powerful tool available.

How to Prepare

Jefferson County Emergency Management recommends that all county residents:

  • Know your evacuation zone and sign up for emergency alerts at jeffersoncountyor.gov
  • Build or review your go-bag with essentials for 72 hours
  • Clear defensible space around your home — 30 feet minimum
  • Have a family communication plan that includes an out-of-area contact
  • Know at least two routes out of your neighborhood

Fire restriction information is available at centraloregonfire.org and through the Oregon Department of Forestry at oregon.gov/odf. For real-time fire updates and evacuation zone status, Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook county emergency management pages all maintain current information.

If you see smoke, call 911. Do not assume someone else has already reported it.