WildfireThursday, November 5
Oregon's 2026 fire season ends after burning a record amount of land
The PDXtoday team
If you're itching to burn yard debris, check first. All Oregon Department of Forestry districts have ended fire restrictions, but many structural fire departments may still require a permit for debris burning, and slash burning needs one year-round. We suggest checking the Before You Burn website or calling your local ODF office.
That caps a record year. The Northwest Interagency Coordination Center counts more than 2.5 million acres burned statewide across all jurisdictions, topping the 2024 record of 1.9 million. ODF's own figure is 2.1 million acres, about 13% above that record.
2026 burned more Oregon acres than the 2024 record
Sources: News Radio 1190 KEX, opb
View as table
| Value | |
|---|---|
| 2024 record | 1.9 million |
| 2026, all jurisdictions | 2.5 million |
The season also cost more to fight than any before it, with firefighting costs topping $235 million, and large wildfires destroyed 56 homes.
- ODF-protected land: 1,023 fires, 226,557 acres burned
- Fires reported May to October: 1,813, below the roughly 2,100 average since 2022
- Out-of-state help: 280 resources from 19 states, provinces and territories
- Evacuation peak July 27: 6,344 people under Level 3 "Go Now!"
ODF kept 93% of fires on its lands at 10 acres or less
93%of fires on ODF-protected land held to 10 acres or less
Source: News Radio 1190 KEX
View as table
| Value | |
|---|---|
| of fires on ODF-protected land held to 10 acres or less | 93% |
Sources: News Radio 1190 KEX, opb