2026 Oregon wildfires

While the Bench Fire in Oregon has been largely contained, its effects are still being felt. A ranching couple on the Warm Springs Reservation in Oregon are needing help caring for their cattle and wild horses, after the fire destroyed their grazing land.

Authorities remind drone operators: flying over wildfires could mean fines, prison time

The Wasco County blaze is one in a series of fires that have burned large swaths of Oregon, straining local resources and piling on the emotional toll on residents.

While crews continue to mop up the Bench and Round Butte wildfires on Oregon’s Warm Springs Reservation, a relief drive is underway to help affected horses and livestock.

In the final hours of work before members of Congress went on recess for five weeks, a bill backed by Oregon’s U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden to relieve natural disaster survivors from paying federal income taxes on their recovery settlements and lawyers fees passed against unexpected odds.

A fire detected Friday in the Three Sisters Wilderness near Waldo Lake is estimated at 17 acres and 15% contained as of Monday afternoon.

According to the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office, Jason Ensign, of Klamath Falls, was operating a dozer helping fire crews in the Yahwee Plateau area.

The fire sparked Friday about 13 miles southeast of Bend and quickly grew to nearly 300 acres in size.

Smoke is expected to begin to move out of the Willamette Valley Thursday evening.

As firefighters continue working to contain wildfires burning more than 2 million acres in Oregon, most of the state will be blanketed with smoky air through at least Thursday night.

Smoke from wildfires in Eastern Oregon and Washington is still affecting the air in much of western and central Oregon.

Experts are encouraging Lane County residents to take precautions, including closing their doors and windows, staying cool and using air purifiers.