Governor Tina Kotek and state wildfire leaders are urging Oregonians to prepare now for what may be a difficult 2026 wildfire season. Officials cited severe drought, record-low snowpack, and forecasts for warmer, drier conditions as major concerns, with above-normal fire risk expected to reach southwestern Oregon in July.

Jackson County Emergency Management will conduct its annual pre-fire season test of the Jackson Alerts mass notification system on Friday, May 1. The test will include alerts sent to registered users and a live Emergency Alert System message broadcast through local radio and cable television.

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management has activated the State Emergency Coordination Center to Level 3 in response to an incoming atmospheric river expected to bring heavy rain, flooding, and landslide risks across western Oregon.

A fall workshop in Talent showed how families can prepare for emergencies by learning to cook nutritious meals without electricity, with support from state agencies and local partners.