8/16/2026 Morning Briefing

 

BMIDC MORNING BRIEFING
August 16, 2026
BMIDC WEBSITE
8/15 (NEW) INITIAL ATTACK	Fires	Acres
Umatilla National Forest	0	0
Wallowa Whitman National Forest	5	3
Vale/PRD District BLM Baker Area	0	0
NEO Oregon Department of Forestry	3	4
WA DNR Snake River Unit	0	0
BIA Umatilla Agency	0	0
Total	8	7
INCIDENT SUMMARY
Previous Day 8/15/2026 WWNF – 5 Fires at 3 Acres: Pickle, Heckly Ridge, Poison Creek, Swamp Creek, and Long Cut   ODF – 3 Fires at 4 Acres: Pack Rat, Mink Lane, and Tall Grass.

Paradise and Hagen Fires Update - August 16, 2026

Northern Rockies Team 6, Incident Commander Rich Cowger

Contact Information: Phone: 541-970-7128 Email: 2026.paradise@firenet.gov

Hagen Fire                                                                                            
Latest Intelligence                                                                               
Size: 56,419                                                                                          
Containment: 14%                                                                                      
Personnel: 990                                                                                     

Paradise Fire
Latest Intelligence
Size: 5,195 acres
Containment: 0% 
Personnel: 336 

Key Message

Saturday’s thunderstorms provided some help and some hinderance to firefighting efforts. Paradise and the eastern part of the Hagen Fire received enough precipitation to be helpful while winds in the northern part of the Hagen fire led to significantly increased fire activity. Firefighting resources are scarce across the United States, so fire managers are being flexible, shifting resources around to meet needs and priorities.

Paradise Fire –

On Saturday, the Paradise Fire did receive enough moisture to keep fire activity moderate and hinder defensive burning activities. Fuels are expected to dry out over the next few days as hot, dry weather returns to the area. Fire slowly backed down to the confluence of Broken Creek and Mill Creek. Sunday, firefighters will build hand line below the Mill Creek Road and strengthen other holding features. They will work south along the FSR65, widening and improving it so that it can serve as a holding feature as the fire continues to move south.  

Hagen Fire–

The Hagen fire received a mix of precipitation amounts on Saturday. The east side of the fire received up to 0.7 inches of rain with almost half an inch falling in about 15 minutes. However, the north and western side of the fire received only hundredths of an inch of precipitation. The gusty outflow winds associated with this thunderstorm caused problems for firefighters along the North Fork of the Umatilla River. The fire began to spot up to a ½ mile out of the drainage up onto the flats. Planes dropped retardant to slow the spread and helicopters and scoopers helped with water drops. Sunday, firefighters will build indirect line from the Zig Zag Springs area to the Umatilla River trailhead in a continuing effort to shrink the containment box on this part of the fire.  Firefighters continue to mop up and secure the area along Highway 204 in the Spout Springs area and south. The lines in the southern area of the fire continue to be reinforced with defensive burning, masticating and mopping up. The old Meachum Creek Road and other dozer lines held on the slop on the western edge of the fire and crews will mop up this area over the next 48 hours.

Weather and Fire Behavior

Isolated showers from Saturday’s storms blanketed the fire area dropping varied amounts of rain or hail in some areas. The precipitation along with higher relative humidities provided some relief to firefighters keeping certain areas to creeping and smoldering fire activity. There is a 10% chance of thunderstorm activity expected for both Sunday and Monday during the afternoon and evening hours producing wind gusts up to 20 mph across higher elevations. Unstable air over the next few days could keep the fire activity elevated if the fire area is clear of smoke.

EVACUATIONS 

Evacuation Levels:

Fire conditions can change rapidly. Evacuation levels and Road Closures are frequently adjusted.

Umatilla County, Union County and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation

County Emergency Management Websites:

Columbia County Emergency Management

Umatilla County Emergency Management

Union County Emergency Management

Walla Walla County Emergency Management

Closures and Special Messages

Umatilla National Forest Closures: For public safety and to facilitate firefighting operations the following National Forest Closures have been issued.

Hagen Fire:

Expanded closure order for the Hagen Fire

Hagen and Horse Ridge Fire Emergency Closure

Paradise Fire:

Paradise Fire Emergency Closure

Road Closure Information:

Oregon Department of Transportation Trip Check

Fire Restrictions: The Umatilla National Forest has issued public use restrictions for smoking, off-road travel, and chainsaw use across the entire national forest.

Smoke Outlook: For current smoke reports visit https://fire.airnow.gov.

Detailed Northeast Oregon Air Reports

Detailed Southeast Washington Air Reports 

Air Space Restrictions:

Temporary Flight Restrictions are in place over the wildfires. If you fly, we can’t. Every time a drone is spotted near the fire all aircraft are grounded until we can be sure the drone is clear of this area. http://knowbeforeyoufly.org

Bologna, Cottonwood, Little Bear, & Rosenbaum Fires Update Aug 16, 2026

Hold and secure: firefighters make significant progress on Rosenbaum Fire 

KIMBERLY, Ore. (Aug. 16, 2026) – Firefighters made significant progress on the Rosenbaum fire, leading to the reopening of the single-lane closure on Highway 19 and reducing some evacuation levels in Grant County. Today they look to hold and improve control lines and tie in critical line along the southwestern portion of the fire along difficult, craggy terrain and bluffs. Elsewhere on the Rosenbaum Fire, crews continue mop up and cooling hot spots, most notably along the highway and around structures.  

Overnight, firefighters used drones with infrared (IR) instruments to map and extinguish hot spots around the perimeters of the Bologna, Cottonwood and Little Bear fires as they continue mop-up operations. Firefighters continue to strengthen control lines across all incidents with mop up well into 200 and 300 feet into the fire’s perimeter. Firefighters continue grid-pattern work to identify and cool hot spots along the fire’s edge and provide vigilant patrols to monitor and respond quickly if needed. Additionally, crews also began some suppression repair work to prevent erosion and flooding. 

With lightning in the region forecasted through the weekend, paired with critically-dry vegetation, incident personnel have identified initial attack resources to be prepared to assist local firefighting resources to quickly knock down any news starts.

The Umatilla National Forest issued a temporary closure order for the Bologna Fire on August 11, 2026, which includes portions of Forest Service Roads (FSR) 24, as well as Tamarack Cabin and Lookout. For more information about the closure, visit
https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/umatilla/alerts

Air Quality Information: Air quality updates: https://fire.airnow.gov/

Fire restrictions: Officials want to remind everyone that during fire season multiple agencies have restrictions in place to reduce human caused fires, including public use restrictions and limits on equipment use. Check with your local fire service organization before you start the next wildfire.

If You Fly, We Can’t: Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR):

A “TFR” is in place for the fire area daily (24 hours) until further notice. Flying a drone near or around a wildfire is illegal and compromises the safety of both pilots and firefighters and interferes with firefighting efforts. If you fly, we can’t. All illegal drone use will be reported to law enforcement.

08.15 Morning Briefing

 

BMIDC MORNING BRIEFING
August 15, 2026
BMIDC WEBSITE
8/14 (NEW) INITIAL ATTACK	Fires	Acres
Umatilla National Forest	1	0.1
Wallowa Whitman National Forest	1	0.1
Vale/PRD District BLM Baker Area	2	0.2
NEO Oregon Department of Forestry	1	0.1
WA DNR Snake River Unit	0	0
BIA Umatilla Agency	0	0
Total	0	0
INCIDENT SUMMARY
Previous Day 8/14/2026 Rock Creek BKE ODF 0.1 Acres, Browns Gulch BKE ODF 0.1 Acres, Road Side Wal ODF 0.1 Acres, Porter HP RD 0.1 Acres, Crazyman WVFZ 0.1 Acres

Paradise and Hagen Fires Update - August 14, 2026

Northern Rockies Team 6, Incident Commander Rich Cowger

 

Hagen Fire

Latest Intelligence

Size: 54,995

Containment: 11 %

984 Personnel

Paradise Fire

Latest Intelligence

Size: 4737 acres

Containment: 0%

346 Personnel

Key Message

Fire managers are making progress and making good use of the limited resources available. A short-term surge force of firefighters has arrived and are working a swing shift that overlaps with both day and night crews.  This extended coverage gives firefighters more time for careful, methodical firing operations to strengthen indirect lines, a key tactic when terrain or fire behavior makes direct engagement unsafe.

Paradise Fire –

On Thursday, fire activity stayed moderate for much of the day as smoke settled close to the ground, acting like a cap that minimized fire behavior. In the afternoon, the cap lifted, allowing the smoke column to rise and fire activity to increase. Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS Drone) equipped with infrared cameras located multiple areas of smoldering duff and firefighters contained those before they could spread. Firefighters continue to build a dozer line on the ridge to the north of the fire between Lewis and Green peaks to protect structures on the other side. Other crews are completing burning operations along FS Road 64 to catch the fire burning in the Broken Creek area, which continues to burn actively. Firefighters are unable to safely engage the fire directly in this area, making indirect techniques necessary.

Hagen Fire–

Firefighters saw slightly less fire activity on Thursday thanks to increased humidity, cooler temperatures and low-hanging smoke. Firefighters made very good progress on tightening the containment area around the fire below residences along Highway 204. Single Engine Airtankers (SEATs) dropping retardant slowed the fire spread, allowing a hotshot crew to hand dig fire line from the river to the road system above. This work will continue Friday, taking advantage of the cooler, more humid conditions. On the southeast side of the fire, the UAS continues to be a valuable tool, locating spot fires that would otherwise go unseen in heavy smoke. The persistent slop on the west side of the fire tried to make a run in the grass at the bottom of the drainage, but firefighters were able to catch it with a quick, well-planned defensive firing operation. Extra resources from other divisions are moving to the area Friday to help with suppression and mop up.

Weather and Fire Behavior

Monsoonal moisture has increased relative humidity, which is moderating fire behavior, especially overnight.  This moisture also increases the chances of thunderstorms with gusty, erratic winds and lightning, which can lead to increased and erratic fire behavior, unpredictable spread and greater risk to personnel on the fire line. Incident meteorologists and fire managers will watch carefully for these conditions and possible new lightning caused starts.

EVACUATIONS

Evacuation Levels:

Fire conditions can change rapidly. Evacuation levels and Road Closures are frequently adjusted.

Umatilla County, Union County and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation

County Emergency Management Websites:

Columbia County Emergency Management

Umatilla County Emergency Management

Union County Emergency Management

Walla Walla County Emergency Management

Closures and Special Messages

Umatilla National Forest Closures: For public safety and to facilitate firefighting operations the following National Forest Closures have been issued.

Hagen Fire:

Expanded closure order for the Hagen Fire

Hagen and Horse Ridge Fire Emergency Closure

Paradise Fire:

Paradise Fire Emergency Closure

Road Closure Information:

Oregon Department of Transportation Trip Check

Fire Restrictions: The Umatilla National Forest has issued public use restrictions for smoking, off-road travel, and chainsaw use across the entire national forest.

Smoke Outlook: For current smoke reports visit https://fire.airnow.gov.

Detailed Northeast Oregon Air Reports

Detailed Southeast Washington Air Reports  

Air Space Restrictions:

Temporary Flight Restrictions are in place over the wildfires. If you fly, we can’t. Every time a drone is spotted near the fire all aircraft are grounded until we can be sure the drone is clear of this area. http://knowbeforeyoufly.org 

 

BMIDC MORNING BRIEFING
August 14, 2026
BMIDC WEBSITE
8/13 (NEW) INITIAL ATTACK	Fires	Acres
Umatilla National Forest	0	0
Wallowa Whitman National Forest	0	0
Vale/PRD District BLM Baker Area	0	0
NEO Oregon Department of Forestry	0	0
WA DNR Snake River Unit	0	0
BIA Umatilla Agency	0	0
Total	0	0
INCIDENT SUMMARY
Previous Day 8/13/2026 No new activity to report.

Bologna Fire Update - August 13, 2026

Firefighters continue to build containment, ODF CIMT-3 assumes command of the Little Bear Fire

KIMBERLY, Ore. (Aug 13, 2026) – Firefighters continue to make progress on the Bologna, Cottonwood and Little Bear fires. Crews continued to hold the fires within their current footprint. Today, firefighters will continue to improve control lines and extend mop-up operations, which consist of cooling the fire’s edge to build containment. 

During mop-up operations, firefighters start at the outer edge of the fire and work deeper into the fire to cool hot spots and ensure that the perimeter of the fire is “cold black.” Mop-up operations ensure that hot spots don’t reignite later in the summer and loft embers outside of the fire’s perimeter. Portions of the fire line that are fully contained are patrolled throughout the summer.

This morning, the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) 3 assumed command of the 86-acre Little Bear Fire. The Little Bear Fire is roughly 7 miles north of John Day, to the west and along Highway 395.

The Red Flag Warning for Abundant Lightning is in effect today for the region. The National Weather Service predicts a potential for lightning and thunderstorms through the weekend. Extremely dry conditions persist in the region, which could allow for active, quickly spreading fires. Incident personnel are prepared to assist local initial attack resources as needed. 

The Umatilla National Forest issued a temporary closure order for the Bologna Fire on August 11, 2026, which includes portions of Forest Service Roads (FSR) 24, as well as Tamarack Cabin and Lookout. The temporary closure is in place to proactively protect public and firefighter safety. For more information about the closure, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/umatilla/alerts 

Air Quality Information: Air quality updates: https://fire.airnow.gov/ 

Fire restrictions: Officials want to remind everyone that the current fire danger rating is EXTREME and Phase C Public Use Restrictions are in effect for the Umatilla National Forest. For more information regarding restrictions, please contact:

Umatilla National Forest

Information Hotline: Toll-Free (877) 958-9663

https://fs.usda.gov/r06/umatilla

Blog: https://bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com/

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