8-17-26 Morning Update: Hagen and Paradise fires
By Terry Murry on Monday, August 17th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
UMATILLA, UNION, & WALLA WALLA COUNTIES – The Hagen Fire in Umatilla and Union counties is 14 percent contained at 56,869 acres. The Paradise Fire burning in the Mill Creek watershed of Walla Walla County as well as in Columbia County in Washington and Wallowa County in Oregon remains zero percent contained at 5,333 acres.
Fire managers filed this morning update:
Smoke over the Paradise and Hagen Fires kept fire activity minimal over much of the fire area on Sunday. A thunderstorm moved through between the Hagen Fire and Elgin but did not directly affect suppression activities. Fire mangers are working hard to return things to a sense of normalcy for impacted communities. This includes constantly evaluating closures and evacuations with local emergency managers.
CURRENT CONDITIONS AND Planned activities
Paradise Fire
Fire behavior on the Paradise Fire on Sunday remained moderate with creeping, smoldering and backing fire throughout the fire area. As grasses and trees dry, however, fire activity is increasing. Fire continues to slowly back down slope on Broken Ridge towards Mill Creek. Deliberate progress is being made to put line around the entirety of the fire with a focus on the south and east where fire activity is most prevalent. Line improvement operations were successful along portions of FSR 65 and will continue Monday. Firefighters are also moving east from the Mill Creek side to tie into this road system. On Sunday, a new, small fire was discovered south of the Paradise fire which resulted from a lightning strike during the previous day’s thunderstorms. A crew and aerial support from the Paradise fire were able to respond and help with containment.
Hagen Fire
Sunday was another active day in the Zig Zag Springs area. Air tankers dropped retardant along an open ridge south of the springs while a hot shot crew dug hand line. The crew then burned fuels near the retardant line creating a 600-1,000 ft buffer designed to stop the advance of the main fire. These firing operations continued through the night into Monday. Around the rest of the fire, firefighters continue to make steady progress with line preparation and mop up. As fuels dry and become more receptive, firing operations will remove unburned fuel between the control lines and the fire’s edge, reinforcing and widening the control lines. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS Drones) will continue to gather intelligence and fly infrared missions to identify heat signatures that are outside or could threaten control lines. The objective remains to keep the lines as close to the fire’s edge as possible. There was minimal activity along the Old Meachum Creek Road; lines held and crews will continue to mop up the area on Monday.
Weather and Fire Behavior There is a 10% chance of isolated thunderstorms again on Monday. These thunderstorms will taper off starting Tuesday, when a warming and drying trend begins, accompanied by afternoon gusty winds up to 20 mph and temperatures in the mid-80s across higher elevations. Fire managers and firefighters are preparing for the expected increase in fire behavior intensity and will move firefighting resources around to where the needs are most critical.
Map above is of Paradise Fire. Map below is of Hagen Fire.
