Paradise, Hagen, Ninemile and Horse Ridge Fire Information - July 21, 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 21, 2026

Evacuation Levels Increase Again as Weather Warms and Dries

Update: An Incident Command Post is in place in Walla Walla, with an operating base in Athena to bring firefighters closer to the most active fires in the group. This helps minimize driving time and maximize effective operations on the ground. The fires are widely separated and in steep and inaccessible terrain.

Additional firefighters have arrived, bringing the total personnel assigned to 286. They are using full suppression tactics and strategies that provide the highest likelihood of success while mitigating risks to responders. Values at risk include human safety, structures and communities, municipal watersheds, railroad corridors, private timber and range lands, and recreation opportunities. 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.

Heavy smoke blanketed the area yesterday, shading the fires and slowing growth. The heavy smoke also prevented air operations. A helicopter flew a single reconnaissance mission and determined that visibility was too poor to allow safe air operations.

The Paradise Fire (est. 519 acres) about 10 miles southeast of Walla Walla showed only moderate activity. Firefighters made good progress clearing brush from existing roads and preparing road surfaces for fire traffic.

The Hagen Fire (est. 5,685 acres) about 9 miles southwest of Tollgate, Ore. burned actively overnight and created spot fires that forced the withdrawal of smokejumpers working on the Ninemile Fire to the east. Structure protection measures remained in place, strengthened by additional resources from the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office.

The Horse Ridge Fire (est. 611 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. This fire is considered 10 percent contained.

The Ninemile Fire (est. 19 acres), located 4 miles southwest of Tollgate within the North Fork Umatilla Wilderness, has shown very little activity in the past 24 hours and is currently unstaffed due to the Hagen Fire’s approach from the west.

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.

Umatilla County with Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation has issued evacuations for the Hagen Fire 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 a Fuels and Fire Behavior Advisory 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. By the end of the week, atmospheric instability and higher wind speeds may accelerate fire behavior.

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 Phase B Public Use Restrictions for smoking, off-road travel, and chainsaw use across the entire national forest.

Umatilla National Forest Closures: Forest officials will soon issue a temporary area closure around the fires 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