Oregon's Worst Wildfire Season on Record Isn't Over Yet

Oregon has already burned more land this year than in any fire season in its recorded history — and the season isn't over. More than 1,400 fires have torn through upwards of 2.3 million acres, an area bigger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined, well ahead of the typical late-summer peak.

The Austin Fire, burning in the upper Clackamas River drainage south of Mount Hood, remains the most urgent of the state's active fires. As of this week it had burned more than 12,600 acres and was just 19% contained, with Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation orders in effect for Bagby Hot Springs, Lake Harriet, Timothy Lake, campgrounds along the Clackamas River, and stretches of Oregon Highway 224 and multiple forest roads.

Not every fire is trending the wrong way. The Big Grass Fire, straddling the Oregon-Idaho border near Jordan Valley, became the largest wildfire in Oregon history at roughly 579,000 acres — but has since reached 94% containment. The Rowe Creek Complex, which forced repeated closures of U.S. Highway 26 between Prineville and Mitchell, is now 99% contained after burning nearly 374,000 acres since it started from a lightning strike on July 15.

For much of August, both Washington and Oregon sat at National Preparedness Level 5 — the highest level the national system has, meaning essentially every available firefighting resource in the country was already committed somewhere. Over Labor Day weekend, evacuation orders spanned all three Pacific Northwest states, from 65,000 people displaced in Spokane neighborhoods to Level 3 orders along Oregon's Clackamas River corridor.

By September 5, the national preparedness level had eased slightly to Level 4 as weather moderated and some of the largest fires reached higher containment — a small reprieve, but not an end. Drought conditions now cover nearly 57% of the country, and fire officials are not projecting significant relief until seasonal rains arrive.