Paradise, Hagen, Ninemile and Horse Ridge Fire Information - July 22, 2026

Fire Information Phone: 541-970-7128 (8 am – 8 pm; voice only; texts will not be received)

Email: 2026.paradise@firenet.gov 
Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/ 
AirNow: https://fire.airnow.gov 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61592064000400 
July 22, 2026

Evacuation Levels Increase Again as Weather Warms and Dries Update 

An Incident Command Post in Walla Walla, and operating base in Athena are currently home to 537 firefighters working to suppress these lightning-caused fires. The fires are widely separated and in steep and inaccessible terrain.

They are using full suppression tactics and strategies that provide the highest likelihood of success while mitigating risks to responders. This means a combination of direct fire line construction at the fire’s edge where possible and building control lines indirectly where the lines can be defended and successfully contain the fire.

The Incident Management Team is working in close coordination with Umatilla and Walla Walla County Sheriff’s offices, City of Walla Walla, state agencies, and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation to protect values at risk. These values include human safety, structures and communities, protection of municipal water supply, railroad corridors, private timber and range lands, and recreation opportunities.

Heavy smoke has blanketed the area for several days. While this cover has shaded and in places slowed the fires’ spread, it also greatly limited visibility and impeded the use of aircraft. Yesterday the smoke cleared out by mid-day and allowed the use of aerial reconnaissance and water-dropping helicopters.

The Paradise Fire (590 acres) about 10 miles southeast of Walla Walla showed minimal growth for 24 hours. Work is progressing with scouting for fire line locations, deployment of heavy equipment for fire line improvement, and helicopter water drops to keep the fire in check.

The Hagen Fire (7,419 acres) about 9 miles southwest of Tollgate, Ore. burned actively and required a Hotshot crew and extensive helicopter support near residences on the western perimeter near Bingham Road. Structure protection measures remained in place. The Oregon State Fire Marshal is mobilizing an incident management team and two structural task forces to the fire; those resources will enter unified command with Northwest Team 7.

The Horse Ridge Fire (675 acres) about 5 miles northeast of Meacham, Ore. grew only slightly. Firefighters are successfully holding the fire along the 050 Road, burning to remove fuels along the road to strengthen it as a containment line, supported by helicopter water drops.

The Ninemile Fire (19 acres) about 4 miles southwest of Tollgate within the North Fork Umatilla Wilderness, has shown very little activity in the past 24 hours.

Evacuation Levels: The Umatilla County Sheriff reminds the public that due to the remote
nature of these affected areas, residents must remain extremely vigilant and proactively monitor
surrounding fire activity. Fire conditions can change rapidly.

Emergency Advisory: Umatilla County with Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
Reservation has issued the following advisories
https://www.umatillacounty.net/departments/sheriffs-office/emergency-management/emergencyadvisories that include Level 3 (GO NOW!) and Level 2 and Level 1 for affected areas. Follow
the Sheriff’s Office on Facebook for evacuation updates: https://www.facebook.com/UmatillaCountySheriff.

Fire and Fuels Advisory: The Northwest Coordination Center’s Predictive Services has issued
an advisory https://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/content/pdfs/Fuels_and_Fire_Behavior_Advisory_PNW_20260714.pdf for most of Oregon and Washington that warns of dryer than normal fuel conditions due to record low snowpacks that will contribute to more active fire behavior and longer burning periods than is normal for this time of year.

Weather and Fire Behavior: Significantly warmer weather is ahead for the next several days, with temperatures nearing 100 degrees in lower elevations. The atmosphere will become unstable (the opposite of an inversion) which will favor accelerated fire behavior. Later in the week there is a chance of scattered thunderstorms which can bring gusty winds.

Smoke Outlook: Patchy smoke is expected throughout the day. For current smoke reports visit https://fire.airnow.gov. 

Fire Restrictions: The Umatilla National Forest has issued public use restrictions https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/umatilla/alerts/phase-b-public-use-restrictions for smoking, off-road travel, and chainsaw use across the entire national forest.

Umatilla National Forest Closures: Forest officials have issued the following Forest Closure
Order, https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/nfs/files/r06/umatilla/publication/alerts/06-14-06-26-08_OrderUpdated.pdf for public safety and to facilitate firefighting operations. Areas included in the closure include Corporation Guard Station and Trailhead, North Fork Umatilla Trailhead, Umatilla Fork Day-Use Area and Campground, Buck Creek Cabin, and Buck Creek Trailhead.

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.