Emergency Conflagration Act invoked for Hagen Fire in Umatilla County
By Dan Thesman on Tuesday, July 21st, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
UMATILLA COUNTY – Because of the rapid growth and immediate threat posed by the Hagen Fire, the Emergency Conflagration Act was invoked Tuesday afternoon to provide additional resources to protect nearby homes and critical infrastructure. This marks the sixth time the act has been invoked in 2026, as Oregon continues to face a challenging fire season pushed by record-low snowpack and drier-than-normal fuel conditions.
The Oregon State Fire Marshal is mobilizing an incident management team and two structural task forces to the Hagen Fire. These state resources will enter unified command with Northwest Team 7 to prioritize the protection of homes and critical infrastructure near the fire.
“We are facing not only challenging fire conditions but also low resource availability across the country,” State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “It is important now more than ever that Oregonians are wildfire aware and take actions like signing up for emergency alerts and preventing any new fires.”
As of Tuesday morning, the Hagen Fire is estimated at 5,685 acres and is located approximately nine miles southwest of Tollgate. The fire burned actively overnight, creating spot fires that forced the withdrawal of crews working on the nearby Ninemile Fire, estimated at 19 acres, located about 4 miles southwest of Tollgate. Firefighters are being challenged by steep, inaccessible terrain and temperatures expected to climb into triple digits this week.
The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, has issued evacuation notices. For the most recent information about evacuations please follow the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.
Photo of the Hagen Fire, taken July 20, 2026, courtesy Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office
