FIRE ALERT UPDATE: Akawa Butte Fire grows to more than 10,000 acres in Central Oregon
(UPDATE, 7/20/26, 10:22 pm): Akawa Butte Fire has grown to 10,391 acres; 3% contained
CROOKED RIVER RANCH, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Akawa Butte Fire is continuing to burn in Deschutes and Jefferson counties, with firefighters working to keep it from moving closer to nearby communities. The blaze is about 9 miles northwest of Crooked River Ranch and has burned 10,391 acres with 3% containment.
Firefighters spent the day concentrating on the southern side of the fire north of Stevens Canyon and Whychus, while the most active fire behavior was seen on the western side of Akawa Butte. Officials said heavy equipment, hand crews and helicopters were used for direct attack along the active perimeter, and localized winds at higher elevations made conditions erratic and difficult for crews.
A visible column could be seen from surrounding communities as the fire showed perimeter growth on the northwest side and continued burning in the interior.
“We did have some fire growth overnight, a little over 4,000 acres,” Sandy Roberts of the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office said. “The fuels are, unfortunately, ready to burn. Everything’s super, super dry. And this was a lightning event, right? All over Oregon. And so we’ve also had unstable weather. We’ve had erratic air flow, winds. Temperatures have been hot. It’s been in the 90s. So we’ve got a lot of heat on this fire. The state is tapped. We have over 25 incidents, I believe, in the state of Oregon. And there’s a lot of fire on the landscape.”
Officials said resources continue to arrive, including heavy equipment for line construction along the northwest side of the fire. Night crews are expected to strengthen new lines on the southern fire perimeter and work north along the western edge to help prevent the fire from spreading toward communities. Additional water tenders also have arrived to support operations.
Fire managers said the cloud cover broke in the afternoon, increasing fire behavior. Tuesday is expected to be warmer and drier, with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Any convective storms could bring gusty winds and potentially contribute to fire growth.
Residents are being urged to stay familiar with evacuation levels and to know exactly what they mean in the path of a wildfire. Level 1 means be ready, Level 2 means be set, and Level 3 means go now. Deschutes County officials have said evacuation levels can change quickly as fire activity shifts.
In Crooked River Ranch, resident Randy Carrington said he knows wildfire season well, after last year’s Flat Fire came within 600 yards of his property. He said the Akawa Butte Fire has felt different so far.
“This year. Yeah. Just smoking. Not so bad. Winds blowing the other way fuels not as much. Not too worried,” Carrington said.
To stay up to date on the latest Akawa Butte Fire information, visit the official fire update page on Facebook.
Reported: 7/20/26 at 11:45 am
Fire crews continue to battle the Akawa Butte Fire burning roughly nine miles northwest of Crooked River Ranch, as the blaze expands across Deschutes and Jefferson counties.
The fire has scorched more than 10,000 acres and remains only minimally contained, with steep, rocky terrain and narrow canyon draws making access difficult for crews working to hold the line.
Overnight, firefighters focused on reinforcing dozer lines and targeting hot spots, while new resources — including structural protection teams — are arriving as command transitions between state fire agencies.
Officials say efforts today will center on strengthening containment lines along the north and south edges, but conditions on the ground continue to test crews.
A virtual community meeting is planned for Monday evening, where residents can hear the latest on fire activity and response efforts.
KTVZ’s Tracee Tuesday will be live near the Akawa Butte Fire with the latest updates, challenges crews are facing, and what it means for nearby communities — today at 4, 5, and 6 p.m. on our NBC and FOX newscasts.
