BLM warns Oregon and Washington that wildfire season is not over

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) --- The Bureau of Land Management issued a warning Friday ahead of Labor Day weekend that wildfire season is far from over across Oregon and Washington.

More than 2.5 million acres have already burned across the Northwest in 2026 during an exceptionally active fire season.

While temperatures may begin to cool and some areas could receive rain, fuel conditions remain dry and fire danger can change quickly. September often brings periods of warm, dry and windy weather that increase the potential for rapid fire growth. Fire restrictions remain in effect across all lands administered by the bureau in Oregon and Washington.

Officials noted that while the agency recently adjusted some closures and restrictions as local conditions change, visitors must remain cautious. Todd Forbes serves as the acting Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington associate state director. He urged visitors to prioritize fire prevention while visiting public lands over the holiday weekend.

“Labor Day can feel like the end of summer, but it is not necessarily the end of fire season,” Forbes said. “We are asking visitors to keep fire prevention in mind as they enjoy public lands this weekend. Conditions can change quickly and one careless spark can have consequences for communities, wildlife, natural resources and firefighters.”

Fire officials emphasized that preventing human-caused blazes is critical to managing overall fire risk across the region. Josh O'Connor is the Northwest geographic area fire chief for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service.

“The best wildfire is the one that never starts,” O'Connor said. “This Labor Day weekend, we're asking visitors to know the restrictions, understand the conditions and do their part to prevent human-caused fires.”

Under standing restrictions, several items remain strictly prohibited on all bureau-administered public lands in Oregon and Washington. Prohibited items include fireworks, sky lanterns, exploding or metallic targets, tracer or incendiary devices and steel-core or steel-jacketed ammunition. Additional local restrictions or closures may apply depending on local fire danger, weather and fuel conditions.