Oregon Fires

Daily Wildfire Report for Oregon - May 13, 2026

Overview

Oregon is facing an early and potentially dangerous wildfire season driven by historic heat, severe drought, and a record-setting low snowpack, with the winter of 2025-2026 tying 1934 as the warmest on record. Nine counties are already under drought emergency declarations. In response to these escalating conditions, the Oregon Department of Forestry's Central Oregon District officially declared the beginning of fire season on May 8, 2026, elevating the fire danger level to "Moderate".

Current Situation

Fire Activity: Wildfire activity has started significantly earlier than usual this year, prompting state agencies to proactively respond to early incidents. The lack of spring rain and rapidly drying fine fuels have contributed to new fire starts, many of which have been human-caused escaped debris burns.

Key Fires:

• Pine Mountain Fire: Located approximately 14 miles southeast of Bend, this fire is currently 2,589 acres and 85% contained as of the latest operational updates. It began as a prescribed burn on May 7 but was declared a wildfire after unexpected conditions caused multiple spot fires to escape containment lines. The fire is burning primarily in high-desert grassland and ponderosa pine. Firefighters have successfully secured the northern and southern edges and are currently focused on mopping up residual heat in steep, rocky terrain along the western edge. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has issued an emergency temporary closure of public lands near the fire to protect public safety and support suppression operations.

Prescribed Burns and Land Management: In response to the severe fire risk, enhanced fire restrictions will go into effect on Thursday, May 14, across all BLM-administered lands in Oregon and Washington. Additionally, annual campfire restrictions begin early this year on May 13 for BLM lands along portions of the Crooked, Deschutes, John Day, and White Rivers. Most Central Oregon counties have already enacted debris burn bans. Meanwhile, the Malheur National Forest is planning prescribed fire operations starting May 14 on the Prairie City Ranger District's Elk 16Q unit (227 acres) to help reduce overgrown vegetation, pending weather conditions.

Air Quality: While smoke from the Pine Mountain Fire was initially visible from Highway 20 and Bend, it has not had a severe impact on regional air quality, with monitors in Bend recently reporting "good" air quality. However, residents near active fire areas should remain aware of potential overnight smoke settling in low-lying areas and valleys.

Weather and Wind Warnings

Current Weather: High pressure that has been leading to hot and dry conditions is starting to break down, allowing for dry thunderstorms to develop across central Oregon.
Forecasted Weather: The National Weather Service in Pendleton has issued a Red Flag Warning for abundant lightning for the Central Mountains of Oregon (Fire Weather Zone 700), warning of critical dry thunderstorms. Storms are mostly expected to be dry, with rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch, and could produce outflow winds as high as 45 mph. Once the high pressure completely breaks down on Wednesday, May 13, winds are expected to pick up, leading to potentially critical fire weather conditions where any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly.

Recommendations

Public Awareness: Oregonians are urged to be proactive about protecting themselves and their properties. Residents should create defensible space around their homes by removing leaves, pine needles, and debris within 100 feet of structures, and clean roofs and gutters. It is also highly recommended to sign up for local emergency alerts, such as ORAlert, and to download the "Before You Burn" app to check local burn regulations and statuses.
Resource Allocation: State agencies, including the Oregon Department of Forestry, are coordinating with federal partners and expect to be fully staffed for the fire season. A grant program through the Oregon State Fire Marshal has provided 75 fire engines to rural fire departments throughout the state to bolster local response capabilities.

Resources

For up-to-date emergency information, residents can visit:
National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC): www.nifc.gov/fire-information/nfn
Oregon Department of Forestry Wildfire Info: www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/default.aspx
Central Oregon Fire Information: centraloregonfire.org
AirNow Fire and Smoke Map: fire.airnow.gov

Stay informed and prepared by monitoring these resources regularly.