U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz came to Madras last Friday to do something that doesn't always happen in Washington, D.C. — listen. He gathered with Jefferson County officials, state representatives, and community members at the Jefferson County Event Complex on August 28 to hear firsthand about the toll this summer's wildfire season has taken on the region.

And by any measure, 2026 has given Central Oregonians plenty to say.

A Season Unlike Any Other

Oregon's 2026 fire season has been historic on multiple fronts. A convergence of conditions created near-ideal circumstances for catastrophic fire:

  • A critically low winter snowpack left soils and vegetation parched by early spring
  • A record drought gripped the region through the summer months
  • Two major lightning storm events ignited fires across densely forested terrain
  • An estimated 2.4 million acres have burned statewide so far this year

Jefferson County's own fires were contained, but smoke from surrounding blazes — including the massive Rowe Creek Complex, which burned nearly 374,000 acres to the northwest before reaching 92% containment — repeatedly pushed air quality into unhealthy ranges over Madras and surrounding communities.

Personnel Are Up — But Access Is the Problem

Bentz pushed back on the idea that a lack of firefighting manpower is the core issue. Oregon's wildfire workforce has grown from roughly 9,800 personnel in 2024 to more than 12,400 this season.

"There's been an increase, a substantial increase in the number of people and assets available to fight these fires," Bentz said.

The deeper challenge, he said, is getting those crews where they need to go. The 2001 Roadless Rule — which restricts road construction in national forests — has made accessing remote, densely forested areas for firefighting and preventative thinning substantially more difficult. The U.S. Forest Service is now working to rescind the rule, though environmental groups oppose the change, arguing that more roads historically lead to more human-caused ignitions.

The Wildfire Reduction Market Expansion Act

Even with improved access, Bentz acknowledged that the economics of actually clearing forest fuels remain challenging. That's where the Wildfire Reduction Market Expansion Act of 2026 — a bipartisan bill he has co-introduced — comes in.

The legislation would expand the federal renewable fuel standard to include timber cleared from fire-prone forests. Under the bill, companies would receive $2.40 per gallon of fuel produced from that wood material. The cost, Bentz estimated, would show up as roughly a penny per gallon increase in gas taxes.

"Somehow we have to pay to get some of this fuel out of the woods, and this is the best approach that I have seen," Bentz said.

Landowners at the town hall raised concerns spanning juniper encroachment on grazing land, road conditions during active fire events, and the difficulty of securing firefighting resources before fires grow out of control. Bentz said those conversations will inform his continued work on the legislation.

Air quality across Jefferson County is expected to improve through Wednesday as a smoke advisory lifts. Residents can track current conditions at oregonsmoke.org.