Fire season ends Wednesday on ODF’s Central Oregon District

By on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News Eastern/Southeast Oregon Top Stories

JOHN DAY / PRINEVILLE – (Press Release from the Oregon Department of Forestry)

Effective 12:01 a.m. on November 4, 2026 the Central Oregon District (COD) of the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) will officially end fire season for all forestlands protected by the district.

This fire season for the district was a historic one. With most large fires this year taking place in Central Oregon, district firefighters worked 24/7 to protect Oregon’s natural resources and communities. For example:

  • Lightning across the district caused more than 140 fires across all ownerships between July 15 and July 24. Though there were some more challenging large fires, like the Akawa Butte Fire and Rowe Creek Complex, there were dozens of fires across the district in which initial attack crews were able to extinguish the fire and keep it small.
  • The Dalles Unit, with limited resources and assistance from local landowners, caught the Upper 8 Mile Fire at 500 acres in the first burn period.
  • Following several weeks of challenging fire fights, the Monument Unit was faced with the Cottonwood Fire on August 6. Demonstrating continued focus and aggressive initial attack, they were able to get a fire line around the 722 acre fire within the first 12 hours.

“First and foremost, I would like to thank our firefighters and support personnel. Your dedication to protecting Oregon’s natural resources and communities is admirable,” said Rob Pentzer, ODF Central Oregon District Forester. “This was an arduous season for the district, but we made it through with the support of our local, state, federal partners and our landowners.”

The ODF Central Oregon District protects over 2.1 million acres of private, state, county, municipal, and tribal lands, which includes Hood River, Wasco, Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook, Lake, Gilliam, Wheeler, Umatilla, Grant, and Harney counties.

With the conclusion of fire season, landowners under ODF protection may resume burning residential yard debris and using burn barrels. However, this change does not relieve anyone of their legal responsibility to burn safely and responsibly.

Burning & Smoke Management Guidelines

  • Residential Burning (Yard Debris/Burn Barrels): A burn permit is required outside of fire season on lands protected by ODF’s Prineville/Sisters Unit and The Dalles Unit, but not in the John Day/Fossil Unit.


If you are within a fire department’s protection area, check with them directly about current restrictions and permit requirements.

Call your local district to validate that the burn ban has been lifted in your area.
 

  • Slash Burning (Forestry/Logging): Burning of slash from forestry operations requires a Notification of Operation/PDM, as well as checking the smoke management weather forecast:

ODF’s Central Oregon District sincerely thanks landowners, forest operators, the public, and interagency partners for their support in fire prevention, detection, and suppression throughout the 2026 fire season.

For more information, contact your local ODF office:

  • Prineville/Sisters Unit: 541-447-5658
  • The Dalles Unit: 541-296-4626
  • John Day/ Fossil Unit: 541-575-1139

For more information on the Central Oregon District and fire season regulations, visit https://odfcentraloregon.com/. To report a fire, please call 911.

Elkhorn Media Group