Hot and dry pattern continues, breezy and high fire dangers remain
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) - A new fire has broken out along China Hat Road in Deschutes County near Arnold Ice Cave. This is a very popular spot for hikers and outdoor enthusiast. A level 3 evacuation is in place in that region, no structures are in jeopardy, but as of 1 pm the fire was at 50 acres with a visible smoke plume running to the northeast.
This fire is being attacked by the ground and the air.
Smoldering wildfires continue to add smoke to the area. The smoke from all the recent wildfires continues to hover over the region. The light winds have not allowed the smoke to mix out effectively, and the result is another smoky day. Those with respiratory issues, the elderly and young need to be aware of the dangers and stay inside as much as you can.
An Air Quality Alert is in place until further notice for most of Oregon.
The other issue that we are going to experience this weekend will be the heat. A large ridge of high pressure is finally moving east from the Desert Southwest, and that will allow for slightly less hot weather conditions ahead. The highs will still be in the 90s on Saturday and Sunday but dip to the upper 80s next week.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect for portions of Jefferson County then north and east.
The forecast for Saturday will be hot and breezy. There is a Red Flag Warning in place for the NW portion of Jefferson County until Saturday evening. The winds will be from the west at around 15 – 20 mph but may gust to 25 at times. Not all that robust, but any wind will aid in the spread of a wildfire, or fan one that is already burning. The remainder of the Jefferson and all of Deschutes and Crook Counties are not included in the warning, but there will still be high fire danger as west winds at 15mph are still likely and the area is tinder dry.
Sunday will see highs in the upper 80s and low 90s. There will not be much relief, and that trend of above normal temperatures will linger into next week.
Great work was done this weekend by our fire fighters to keep most of the fires well within their perimeters. Thank you.
As for the rest of us, we need to stay aware of the heat and the dry pattern as new fire starts are always possible in these conditions.
We have crossed into the 2-million-acre range as far as the number of acres burned. The updated record from the NWCC from 2024 is 2,081,661 after a spring 2025 satellite assessment. Currently in Oregon we are at 2,144,718 acres and counting, unofficially, making this the most acres burned in a single season.
Please, Stay safe and smart.
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