The Rowe Creek Complex — one of the largest wildfires in Oregon history — continued its slow march toward containment Thursday, reaching an official 373,777 acres at 79% containment. Ignited by lightning on July 15 roughly 10 miles south of Fossil, the fire has consumed tall grass, timber, and brush across a vast swath of Central Oregon, including the Crooked River National Grassland and private land near Culver and Metolius.

Roughly 1,612 firefighting personnel remain on the fire, including crews and heavy equipment brought in from as far as California. Despite the daunting scale, the past week brought steady, incremental progress — and one significant milestone for Central Oregon commuters.

Highway 26 Reopens

US Highway 26 between Prineville and Mitchell reopened Wednesday morning after firefighters spent days felling hazard trees and mopping up hot spots along the corridor. Residents, ranchers, and freight haulers who had been rerouting around the closure got welcome relief Thursday, though officials are urging motorists to slow down through the area as active firefighting continues nearby.

Red Flag Warning Tests Hard-Won Gains

The good news came with a serious caveat. The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning Thursday afternoon, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., warning of a push of monsoon moisture expected to bring scattered thunderstorms with low surface humidity — meaning lightning strikes with little or no accompanying rainfall. Gusty outflow winds up to 40 mph were forecast, conditions that can reignite smoldering fuels and push spot fires across established containment lines.

Fire managers warned that the 21% of uncontained perimeter still amounts to roughly 107 miles of open fireline, with about 30,000 acres yet to be controlled. The fire's southern flank remains the most active area. Incident commanders noted the fire has escaped established lines multiple times throughout its month-long run and called on crews to remain especially vigilant Thursday.

"The area has not seen significant wind in many days, and wind can reignite smoldering fuels thought to be extinguished," fire managers noted in Thursday's update. "If strong outflow winds occur near an uncontrolled line, slop-overs or spot fires are possible consequences."

Public Meeting Held in Prineville

Unified command held a public information meeting Thursday evening at Barnes Butte Elementary School in Prineville. Team members presented a fire status briefing and answered questions from residents and landowners. The meeting was also livestreamed on Facebook at the Rowe Creek Complex page.

What Residents Should Know

  • Evacuation orders remain in effect for some zones along the southern perimeter. Check with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office for current levels in your area.
  • A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place. Drone flights are prohibited and can force aerial firefighting aircraft to stand down.
  • Lake Billy Chinook users should watch for low-flying aircraft scooping water for aerial suppression.
  • Stage 2 fire restrictions remain in effect on all Central Oregon public lands — all campfires are banned.
  • Jefferson County Fire & EMS has banned burn barrel use for the remainder of the 2026 fire season.

For the latest information on the Rowe Creek Complex, visit centraloregonfire.org or the InciWeb incident page. Current evacuation levels for Jefferson County are posted on the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.