State fire teams mobilized for Umatilla County wildfire
By Dan Thesman on Thursday, July 16th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
UMATILLA COUNTY — Oregon officials invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act late Wednesday night as a fast-moving wildfire in Umatilla County quickly swelled to more than 5,000 acres, triggering urgent resident evacuations.
The Lower Dry Creek Fire erupted Wednesday afternoon near the communities of Milton-Freewater and Weston. Driven by gusty winds from passing thunderstorms and fueled by extremely dry conditions, the blaze rapidly threatened rural homes and critical local infrastructure.
The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office has issued Level 2 “Be Set” and Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation notices for residents in the fire’s path. Local emergency officials urged those in the area to closely monitor the sheriff’s official Facebook page for real-time evacuation updates.
Following the state’s conflagration declaration, the Oregon State Fire Marshal mobilized its Red Incident Management Team and dispatched additional structural protection task forces to assist local crews. Earlier Wednesday afternoon, the state had already deployed air resources and two task forces through immediate response.
State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple noted that hot, dry weather and lightning created an extremely active day for fire crews statewide.
“The forecast is calling for continued thunderstorms and temperatures into the mid-90s for the coming week,” Ruiz-Temple said, urging Oregonians to take precautions. “I’m asking every Oregonian to be aware of the wildfire threat and take steps to prevent sparking any new wildfires.”
The Lower Dry Creek Fire marks the third time the state’s Emergency Conflagration Act has been invoked in 2026, highlighting an aggressive and early start to Oregon’s annual summer wildfire season.
Photo taken by Dan Thesman of fire damaged property on Steen Road
