8-31 Update: Paradise and Hagen fires
By Terry Murry on Monday, August 31st, 2026 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News Northeastern Oregon Top Stories
From the Southern Area 3 Incident Command Team:
| PUBLIC SAFETY: Evacuation levels change quickly. Please check official sources often. | |||
| Fire | Size* | Containment | Personnel |
| Hagen | 60,975 acres | 45% | 879 |
| Paradise | 9,329 acres | 15% | 506 |
*Our reported acreage comes from the ICS-209, the official source used across all incident updates and posted on InciWeb to maintain consistency. Infrared mapping flights often occur overnight and can produce updated perimeter data that appears sooner on platforms like Watch Duty. Those numbers can sometimes be useful for situational awareness, but we publish only the acreage that has been verified for accuracy.
KEY MESSAGES
- Containment increased to 45% on the Hagen Fire yesterday thanks to the excellent work of firefighters over the last few weeks. Crews started tactical firing operations along the fire’s southern edges on Sunday to bring fire closer to control lines. Smoke may be visible as a result.
- Hunting season is underway. Hunters and visitors are asked to comply with all forest closures and remain alert as firefighters and equipment may be working well outside the immediate fire area.
- Please drive safely. Firefighters may be working and moving equipment several miles away from fire.
CURRENT CONDITIONS AND PLANNED ACTIVITIES
Paradise Fire
Firefighters are strengthening and improving existing control lines and mopping up hotspots, especially along the Mill Creek drainage and around the water intake system, Forest Service Road 65 and other existing control lines. Crews will continue to assess opportunities for tactical burning operations as efforts remain focused on securing the fire’s perimeter.
Hagen Fire
The increase in acreage reported since Sunday reflects fire spread within the fire’s footprint. Smoke may be visible as firefighters continue additional tactical firing operations they started on Sunday night in the southern parts of the Hagen Fire to secure the fire’s edge along control lines. They will also continue mopping up, securing fire lines and using a wide variety of aircraft to detect remaining hotspots.
WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
A warming, drying trend will persist throughout Monday, driving high temperatures into the high 70s and dropping afternoon relative humidity into the mid-teens, which could increase fire activity. Winds will range 6-12 mph with gusts 18-22 mph.
Top map of the Hagen Fire and (below) the Paradise Fire from the incident management team
