Paradise and Hagen Fire Updates for Aug 20, 2026

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

Hagen Fire
58,153 acres
Containment: 19%
Personnel: 1,134

Paradise Fire
6,129 acres
Containment: 0%
Personnel: 384

Key Messages

• Evacuation notices remain in effect around both fires. Please check the evacuations section below for the most updated information.
• Highway 204 is now open. Drivers should expect fire engines, heavy equipment, smoke and reduced visibility along the highway.

CURRENT CONDITIONS AND Planned activities

Paradise Fire

Fire remained active Wednesday in the Low Ridge Creek and Mill Creek drainages and will remain active again today. Aircraft were used in support of firefighting operations. Today, crews will continue building and improving fireline along Mill Creek and the water intake to protect critical infrastructure. Firefighters will continue to improve firelines along the eastern and southern sections of the fire to assist with control efforts in the Low Ridge Creek area. To support control operations, firefighters will use drones, aviation, heavy equipment, and handtools.  Firefighters will also improve dozer and handline on the south and west sides. Aircraft will work to keep the fire from advancing into the Low Ridge Creek drainage near Forest Roads 64 and 65. Structure protection will remain in place.

Hagen Fire

The Hagen Fire held steady on Wednesday. Crews mopped up hot spots and strengthened fireline on the north, northeast and east sides, while aircraft helped firefighters contain a spot fire. Overnight, crews completed a strategic burnout along dozer line and began mop-up. Today, firefighters will improve fireline and mop up near Highway 204, work on persistent heat on the east side, and monitor unburned areas to the southeast. Crews will continue to monitor Forest Service Road 31 for any new heat detected. Heavy equipment continues thinning brush and small trees along the road’s shaded fuel break. Drivers should expect firefighters and equipment traffic in these areas. 

Weather and Fire Behavior

Today will bring critical fire weather. It will be hot, sunny and extremely dry, with afternoon highs in the 80s and 90s. Humidity may fall to 8 to 12%. Winds will be around 10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph. Clouds may move in from the southwest late this afternoon. Fire may remain active in the Low Ridge Creek and Mill Creek drainages, making short uphill runs and occasionally burning groups of trees. Heat on the Hagen Fire could flare up and test containment lines.

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 20, 2026
BMIDC WEBSITE
8/19 (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	1	0.1
Total	0	0
INCIDENT SUMMARY
Previous Day 8/19/2026 Charleston – ORUMA – 0.1 Acres West off Hwy 395, South of Union St - 1.5 miles southeast of Umatilla, OR Resources responded 8/19

Paradise and Hagen Fire Updates for Aug 19, 2026

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

Hagen Fire

Size: 57,678 acres

Containment: 19%

Personnel: 983

Paradise Fire

Size: 5,423 acres
Containment: 0%
Personnel: 358

Key Message:

• The Southern Area Team 3 took command of the Paradise and Hagen fires at 6 a.m. today. Incident Commander Bart Kicklighter thanks Northern Rockies Team 6 for its outstanding work.
• Evacuation levels increased today in some zones on the Paradise Fire in Umatilla County.
  • Level 3 (GO NOW) includes zones UMC-036, UMC-1406043-D and UMC-1406043-C. Residents in these areas should leave immediately. It is unsafe to stay.
  • Level 2 (GET SET) includes zones UMC-039 and UMC-041.
  • Level 1 (GET READY) for zone UMC-032 remains the same.
• Highway 204 remains closed. Assessments are ongoing. Drivers should not proceed with travel in this area without confirmation from law enforcement or the Oregon Department of Transportation.

CURRENT CONDITIONS AND Planned activities

Paradise Fire

Fire activity increased along Low Ridge and is moving toward Low Creek. Aircraft and drones helped slow the fire’s spread. Crews are working to improve fire control lines while securing hot spots along the fire’s edge near Forest Service Roads 64 and 65.  Structure protection remains in place near Snake Ridge, Table Rock Lookout and the water intake facilities along Mill Creek. Fire personnel will continue to monitor fire spread toward the southwest.

Hagen Fire

Crews continue to mop up and strengthen fireline near Highway 204 and Horseshoe Prairie. Firefighters will closely monitor the southeastern fire perimeter between Ruckel Spring and the Big Saddle–North Fork Meacham Creek area. Heavy equipment, including masticators, will continue removing brush and smaller trees along roadways and building a shaded fuel break along Forest Service Road 31. Drivers should expect additional equipment and firefighter traffic in these areas. Firefighters are also protecting structures, the Union Pacific Railroad and other infrastructure. 

Weather and Fire Behavior

Hot and very dry weather is expected today. Afternoon highs will reach the upper 80s and low 90s, with humidity dropping to 10 to 13%. Winds will shift to the northwest this afternoon, with ridgetop gusts around 15-18 mph. Dry grass and other fine fuels will ignite easily. Individual or groups of trees may ignite, and the fire could make short uphill runs and produce spot fires one-quarter to one-half mile ahead of the main fire. Humidity will remain low into the evening, allowing fire activity to continue. The Paradise Fire may remain active on Low Ridge, while unburned areas on the southeastern side of the Hagen Fire may continue to ignite and burn. 

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 19, 2026

Contact Information: Fire Information 
(503) 877-4580 
IMT3.Fireinfo@ODF.oregon.gov

Bologna Fire:
Estimated Size: 4,509 acres
Containment: 89%
Cause: Lightning

Cottonwood Fire:
Estimated Size: 722 acres
Containment: 95%
Cause: Undetermined

Little Bear Fire:
Estimated Size: 67 acres
Containment: 95%
Cause: Human Caused

Rosenbaum Fire:
Estimated Size 483 acres
Containment: 54%
Cause: Lightning

Total Resources:
Hand Crews: 14
Engines: 19
Heavy Equipment: 7
Water Tenders: 13
Aviation: 13
Total Personnel: 574

Firefighters continue building containment across all fires, ODF CIMT 3 to demobilize on Friday, August 21

KIMBERLY, Ore. (Aug. 19, 2026) – Firefighters continue to make steady progress mopping up and building containment on the Bologna, Cottonwood, Little Bear and Rosenbaum fires. Mop-up operations are the methodical and systematic process of identifying and cooling hot spots along the fire’s edge to ensure that heat doesn’t reignite dry vegetation and loft embers outside the fire’s perimeter. Crews also provide suppression repair work to prevent erosion.

Once fires are considered contained, firefighters provide vigilant patrols throughout the summer months to monitor and respond quickly if needed. Local communities can expect to see some smoke in the interior of the fires as unburnt vegetation may ignite. 

The Oregon Department of Forestry Complex Incident Management Team 3 will demobilize Friday, August 21 and return command of the fires to a local type-4 management team and local resources. This will be the last incident update for the Bologna, Cottonwood, Little Bear and Rosenbaum fires.

“We would like to thank the communities for their support and hospitality while we’ve been guests here,” said Incident Commander Tyler McCarty. “We still have half the fire season ahead of us. We have these fires in a place where we can hand them back to local resources, and our folks will go home and be ready for the next time the bell rings.”

This week, incident personnel expect more critical fire weather conditions, such as hot, dry and gusty conditions. This weather, paired with critically dry vegetation, creates conditions where any new fire starts can spread rapidly and likely result in extreme fire behavior. Incident personnel have identified initial attack resources to be prepared to assist local firefighting resources to quickly knock down any news starts. Incident officials urge public caution and ask everyone to follow local fire restrictions to help keep wildfires off the landscape.

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.

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/

08.19 Morning Briefing

 

BMIDC MORNING BRIEFING
August 19, 2026
BMIDC WEBSITE
8/18 (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 8/18/2026 No new activity to report.

Paradise and Hagen Fire Updates for Aug 18, 2026

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

Northern Rockies Team 6, Incident Commander Rich Cowger 

Hagen Fire
Latest Intelligence
Size: 57,678
Containment: 19%
Personnel: 957

Paradise Fire
Latest Intelligence
Size: 5,423 acres
Containment: 0%
Personnel: 349

Key Message

A new incident management team, Southern Area Team 3, is transitioning in to take command of the fire from Northern Rockies Team 6 on Wednesday, August 19th. An increase in fire activity is expected today as fire managers expect near critical fire weather.

CURRENT CONDITIONS AND Planned activities

Paradise Fire

Defensive firing continued in the southeast portion of the fire along FS Road 64, extending fire lines, creating depth, and staying ahead of the fire. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS drones) will continue assisting ground resources in picking up heat signatures with infrared cameras, as crews take their time and safely stay ahead of the fire with burning operations. On the northern side of the fire, resources continue to monitor the fire’s edge, keeping the footprint minimal in the Mill Creek watershed. Chipping and mastication efforts continue around the fire perimeter, reducing fuel in critical portions of the fire.

Hagen Fire

The priority on the Hagen fire continues to be on the north central area, south of Highway 204. Monday, two hotshot crews finished building handline from Zig Zag Springs down to the North Fork of the Umatilla. They used defensive burning to remove fuels, reinforce lines, and keep the spread of the fire from moving north and west towards critical infrastructure. More defensive burning will continue in the southeast area of the fire, connecting the edges of burnt fingers, creating depth, and bringing the fire’s edge closer to control lines where mop-up is more beneficial. Mop-up continues across the fire perimeter, along with chipping vegetation with masticators and woodchippers, and prepping roadways to allow for more defensive burning. Yesterday afternoon, resources on the Hagen Fire responded to a new fire start west of Elgin, and assisted local resources in catching the ~26 acre start called the Phillips Creek Fire.

Weather and Fire Behavior

Warmer and drier conditions have replaced cooler and wetter conditions from the weekend, and fuels have begun to dry and become available for a longer burning period. Near critical fire weather is expected over the fire area with relative humidity 18-20% and wind gust around 20 mph. Expect increase in fire activity in the area. Fire managers and firefighters are preparing for the expected increase in fire behavior intensity and will move firefighting resources around to where the needs are most critical. 

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