Klamath County Fire District 1 has closed all open burning within its district boundaries due to increasing fire danger and the onset of fire season conditions. The closure applies to Klamath Falls and surrounding areas, while barbecues, cooking appliances, and certain contained fire pits remain allowed under specific safety rules.

Fire season will officially begin Friday, May 22, in Klamath and Lake counties. The Oregon Department of Forestry Klamath-Lake District and partner agencies are moving into coordinated fire season operations, with Moderate fire danger and IFPL I restrictions taking effect.

Fire season begins Friday, May 15, on ODF-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties. ODF Southwest Oregon District says the declaration starts at 12:01 a.m. and brings new restrictions on debris burning, fireworks, campfires, smoking, and other fire-risk activities.

Firefighters stopped the spread of the Carney Flat Fire southeast of Prospect after an overnight response, holding the fire at 23 acres. ODF crews continued mop-up work Saturday and said firefighters will remain on scene until all remaining hot spots are extinguished.

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.

The Tillamook Forest Center is celebrating its 20th anniversary with events and a new exhibit highlighting forest history and restoration. The Oregon Department of Forestry says the center has served as a hands-on learning facility focused on forest ecology and stewardship. A public Birthday Bash is scheduled for April 4 to mark the milestone.

The Oregon Department of Forestry has added a new multi-mission aircraft designed to improve wildfire detection, night operations, and all-hazards emergency response. Officials say the Twin Otter-based platform includes AI-enabled mapping, thermal imaging, and the ability to detect new fire starts earlier — even during overnight operations.

Inside a former school bus, Henley High School engineering, construction, and electrical students are turning student-designed blueprints into a mobile wildfire command center for the Oregon Department of Forestry — a project that blends classroom learning with real-world impact.

South Fork Forest Camp crews removed 12 trailer loads of debris from a large illegal dump site in the Tillamook State Forest, a weeklong effort officials say highlights the growing problem of illegal dumping across Oregon’s state forests.

More than $28 million in federal funding will support new wildfire-mitigation projects across Oregon. The USDA-funded grants, made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help communities reduce hazardous fuels, strengthen evacuation routes, and expand prescribed fire and defensible space work.