Paradise and Hagen fire updates for Aug 8, 2026
By Garrett Christensen on Saturday, August 8th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News Northeastern Oregon Top Stories
UMATILLA & UNION COUNTIES — (Update from Northern Rockies Team 6)
Key Message – Preparingfor Another hot, dry day
Fire behavior is significantly more intense as the hot, dry weather continues. Expect smoke columns Saturday as early as 10 or 11 am, especially on the east side of both of the fires. The Hagen Fire is expected to move towards Highway 204, possibly impacting it in the afternoon. The Paradise Fire may reach the wilderness area Saturday afternoon as well. The night divisions on both fires saw active burning all through the night and picked up several spot fires from Friday’s runs. Firefighters are doing everything they can to limit spread while prioritizing their own safety.
Current Status
Paradise Fire – The wind direction is lining up with the Mill Creek drainage, pushing fire to the east. The fire made a run toward the 64 Road which firefighters have been improving to serve as fire line. Aviation resources were able to take the heat out of the advancing front which calmed fire behavior. Fire managers have gotten approval to use scoopers on the fire, which will help with this effort. Fire managers expect significant fire activity and growth on Saturday, possibly more than Friday. Firefighters will be doing structure assessment in the Biscuit Ridge and Black Snake Ridge areas on Saturday. Friday, Umatilla and Walla Walla Counties changed evacuation levels for areas along Mill Creek and along the west side of the forest boundary. See the evacuation links below for more information.
Hagen Fire – The fire was very active along the North Fork of the Umatilla River and is less than a mile from Highway 204. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), with advice from fire managers, will close this highway between Tollgate and Elgin at 9:00 am on Saturday, Aug 8. Evacuation levels in Umatilla and Union counties are also changing in response to the fire activity and expected near-critical fire weather. See the evacuation links below for more information.
Firefighters will focus on structure protection, especially along the Hwy 204 corridor, as well as preventing the fire from getting established on the north side of the North Fork of the Umatilla River. Structure protection consists of structure assessments, removing flammable materials and vegetation from around buildings, setting up sprinklers and water supply, improving egress and positioning engines in key places. They will also create fire lines to check or slow anything that crosses the river and will actively suppress spot fires where it is safe to do so.
Friday, fire managers met with representatives from around the area to identify, describe and prioritize the critical values that are threatened by the Hagen Fire. The larger footprint of the fire resulted in quite a few critical values, however common themes emerged: lives, property, and public infrastructure are the top priorities. While the eastern part of the fire is the primary focus for Saturday, fire suppression continues in the Dry Creek and Ryan Creek areas where burning has also been active.
EVACUATIONS
Evacuation Levels: Fire conditions can change rapidly. Evacuation levels are frequently adjusted. For joint updates from Umatilla County, Union County and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, follow the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UmatillaCountySheriff
For Walla Walla County Emergency Management updates, visit: https://www.facebook.com/WallaWallaEM
Weather and Fire Behavior
Saturday will have near critical fire weather with elevated hot and dry conditions. There is less smoke in the air which means that wind is able to impact the fires more. Just like blowing on a campfire, these winds allow the fire to breathe and grow.
Closures and Special Messages
Smoke Outlook: For current smoke reports visit https://fire.airnow.gov. For detailed northeast Oregon air reports, visit https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/61e48530. For southeast Washington, visit https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/bb27fabc
Fire Restrictions: The Umatilla National Forest has issued public use restrictions https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/umatilla/alerts/phase-c-public-use-restrictions for smoking, off-road travel, and chainsaw use across the entire national forest.
Umatilla National Forest Closures: Forest officials have issued the following Forest Closure Order, https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/nfs/files/r06/umatilla/publication/alerts/06-14-06-26-09_Hagen-HorseRidgeFire_FullOrder.pdf for public safety and to facilitate firefighting operations. Areas included in the closure include Corporation Guard Station and Trailhead, North Fork Umatilla Trailhead, Umatilla Fork Day-Use Area and Campground, Buck Creek Cabin, and Buck Creek Trailhead.
Air Space Restrictions: Temporary Flight Restrictions are in place over the wildfires. If you fly, we can’t. Every time a drone is spotted near the fire all aircraft are grounded until we can be sure the drone is clear of this area. http://knowbeforeyoufly.org
Paradise and Hagen Fires
Fire Information: 541-970-7128, 2026
https://www.youtube.com/@NRIMTTeam6
