The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has released the 2025 Wildfire Smoke Trends Report, which gathers and examines data about how the 2024 wildfire season affected air quality across the state.
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With these warm and dry conditions, wildfire concern is top of mind. KTVZ News received several calls and emails Thursday from residents seeing smoke plumes and worried about new fires.
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Oregon Department of Aviation said Thursday it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. to explore the potential use of Yamaha’s FAZER SAR unmanned helicopter for wildfire mitigation and suppression in the state of Oregon. Here’s the announcement, in full: As wildfire seasons grow more intense
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Firefighters working through the night held the lines on the 50-acre Pine Fire that broke out Wednesday in southeastern Crook County, sheriff’s deputies said Thursday morning as the evacuation alert was lowered from Level 3 GO NOW to Level 2 GET SET in the area.
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — An intentionally set fire, possibly involving fireworks, broke out along the Bend Parkway and was stopped quickly by fire crews on Wednesday afternoon. The fire was reported shortly after 2 p.m. beside the northbound parkway south of Reed Market Road. “Fire crews were able to stop it quickly before it threatened
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A southwest Redmond home was badly damaged Tuesday afternoon in a house fire that put up a smoke plume visible across a wide area and spread to two neighboring properties, an official said.
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SUNRIVER, Ore. (KTVZ ) — With everyone watching closely for any new smoke amid very hot weather, a new wildfire was halted quickly on the Deschutes National Forest west of Sunriver and Lolo Butte late Monday afternoon. Fire 820 was reported around 4:30 p.m., and forward progression was stopped before 5 p.m., with mop-up operations
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(Adding video from 5PM broadcast) EUGENE, Ore. (KTVZ) — In the wake of a wildfire, there’s often an assumption that burned landscapes will be more susceptible to landslides. But new research from the University of Oregon suggests it’s not always that simple. An analysis of the Columbia River Gorge, which runs along the border between
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A wind-fanned, human-caused wildfire dubbed the Canal Fire broke out Sunday afternoon near Redmond’s Roberts Field and scorched 23 acres before crews working from the air and on the ground got the upper hand, officials said Monday.
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The Chevy Fire sparked just after 12:30 Saturday afternoon on vacant land off Highway 97 in Madras. Officials say a mini excavator working in dry grass and shrubs ignited the flames.
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PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Crook County is in the process of updating its 20-year Transportation System Plan (TSP), a critical roadmap that will guide future transportation investments across the county. As part of this effort, the County said Friday it is hosting a Juniper Canyon Community Meeting to present the preferred access alternative from the TSP
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One lane of Oregon Highway 58 between Central Oregon and Eugene reopened Friday, with flaggers and pilot cars directing traffic through the area of a day-old wildfire in a steep, wooded area just east of Oakridge.
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The Cougar Fire, the largest of two new fires that broke out Tuesday afternoon in southeastern Deschutes County and put up smoke visible over a wide area, grew to about 300 acres by Wednesday as crews reached 10% containment.
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon’s wildfire response continues to evolve with the Oregon Department of Forestry’s recent addition of regional air attack and ongoing investment in severity aircraft. Deputy Director of Fire Operations, Kyle Williams, explained, “The severity aircraft and regional air attack gives us a huge advantage, both are excellent investments. These help us
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — As August begins, fire weather forecasters predict higher-than-average temperatures will continue to dry fuels in the region and, along with lightning, cause numerous natural fire starts across Oregon and Washington, the U.S. Forest Service warned Tuesday Since the end of May, fire managers in the Pacific Northwest have engaged in fighting
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REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Firefighters responded to 39 new wildfire starts around Central Oregon over the weekend, burning a total of nine acres, officials said Monday. Most of the fires were kept small, at about one-tenth of an acre in size, and have been contained or controlled. “This was the result of the quick response
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(Update: Adding video) SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — As Oregon heads into its peak wildfire months, August and September, Oregon’s public safety services and natural resource agencies want to remind Oregonians to practice wildfire prevention, prepare their home and a go-bag for evacuation and know where to sign up for alerts. “As Oregonians and visitors enjoy
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(Update: Adding video) SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ_ Oregon’s wildlife has evolved alongside fire, with many species adapted to periodic burns. However, the increasing intensity and frequency of wildfires, influenced by climate change, are creating new challenges for both animals and ecosystems. The Oregon Wildlife Foundation said Monday it would like to remind the public that wildfire
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Firefighters are continuing their efforts on checking smoke reports and responding to lightning-sparked fires throughout Central Oregon, with both a red flag warning and a flash flood watch over 2024 burn scars for later Thursday. Notable fire activity includes the Kwohl Fire, Boulder Fire, and Incident 0667. Here’s Thursday’s update: The
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Millions of acres were burned across Oregon during the 2024 wildfire season. Six “mega-fires” (over 100,000 acres each) burned across Eastern Oregon, and the state spent nearly $350 million to put them out.
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