A fast-moving wildfire that ignited Friday afternoon on the south slope of Round Butte has burned 1,039 acres as of Sunday morning and remains at zero percent containment, though firefighters made enough overnight progress to allow the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office to begin reducing some evacuation levels Sunday afternoon.

Fire Overview

The Round Butte Fire — designated Incident 658 — started approximately five miles west of Madras and spread rapidly east through grass, brush, and juniper during the breezy afternoon hours of August 1. The fire is burning across a mix of Crooked River National Grassland and private land. The Central Oregon Type 3 Team is managing the incident in unified command with Jefferson County Fire and EMS; Oregon State Fire Marshal resources are assigned to structure and point protection.

Aerial resources including large air tankers, single-engine airtankers, and helicopters played a critical role in slowing fire spread during the first afternoon. Decreasing winds and cooler temperatures after sunset helped crews transition to direct suppression tactics overnight. An infrared flight Sunday morning confirmed the 1,039-acre footprint.

Evacuations

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office issued Level 1 (Be Ready), Level 2 (Be Set), and Level 3 (Go Now) evacuation notices covering zones around the fire perimeter. As of Sunday afternoon, some zones had been downgraded or lifted:

  • Round Butte Fire area: Level reductions announced for multiple zones as crews strengthened containment lines
  • Bench Fire area: Zones NW 17, 16, 15, 12(e), 7, 9(e), and NW 4 had evacuation levels lifted; NW 14, 13, 10, 9(w), and 5(s) remain in effect. Access to Pelton Dam Campgrounds and Marina remains closed.
  • Akawa Butte Fire (Camp Sherman area): Level 3 remains at the top of Camp Sherman; Level 2 and Level 1 were reduced. The rest of the Camp Sherman Basin had all levels lifted.

Residents should verify their specific zone status at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office interactive evacuation map before returning home.

Air Quality Advisory

Smoke from the Round Butte Fire and multiple other active fires across Central and Eastern Oregon is producing unhealthy air quality conditions for Jefferson County and surrounding areas. Sensitive groups — including children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions — are advised to limit outdoor activity. Daily smoke forecasts are available at fire.airnow.gov.

No Drones

Officials are urging the public not to fly personal drones anywhere near active fire zones. Drone flights force aerial firefighting resources to stand down and can significantly hamper suppression efforts. “If you fly, we can’t,” is the standing message from incident command.

Today’s firefighting focus is on strengthening control lines and cooling hot spots to hold the fire in its current footprint, with helicopters providing water bucket support. Resources remain on scene around the clock. For the latest updates, follow @CentralORfire on X or visit centraloregonfire.org. To report a new wildfire, call 9-1-1.