Paradise and Hagen Fires Update - August 11, 2026

Paradise and Hagen Fires
Umatilla National Forest 

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

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61592064000400 

https://www.youtube.com/@NRIMTTeam6 

August 11, 2026 

Northern Rockies Team 6, Incident Commander Rich Cowger 

Hagen Fire 
Latest Intelligence
Location: 12 miles northwest of Elgin, OR
Size: 51,061 acres
Completion/Containment: 11%
847 personnel

Paradise Fire 
Latest Intelligence
Location: 10 miles southeast of Walla Walla, WA
Size: 3,531 acres
Completion/Containment: 0%
322 personnel

Key Message –  

Firefighters were able to make good progress on spot fires across both fires on Monday. Slightly higher relative humidity, especially at night, will help moderate fire activity. Fire growth and smoke columns are still expected in the afternoon, especially in grassy areas.  

Thanks to the many people who attended the Community Meeting in Walla Walla Monday evening. We appreciate the great questions and interaction. We experienced technical difficulties for people viewing the broadcast on mobile devices. We apologize for the inconvenience. We will post the recording Tuesday morning.  

Current Status 

Paradise Fire –  

The fire spread along Broken Ridge on the south side of the fire producing a visible plume. Firefighters will prepare for defensive firing along FS road 64 in advance of this part of the fire to put a buffer between it and the fire line along the road. A small spot fire on the north side of Mill Creek east of Blacksnake was detected in the afternoon on Monday. Firefighters hiked in and put line around the fire in the evening and will continue with mop up. Structure protection and egress efforts continue on the west side of the fire.  

Hagen Fire – 

Firefighters ensured that all spots across Highway 204 in the Spout Springs area were lined and continued their suppression activities in this area. Fire managers were able to use Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS or drones) with an infrared camera that detects heat to look for spots along the Highway. This allowed for more pinpoint application of water from helicopters and deployment of firefighters on the ground. Targeted water drops are a more useful tool than the broad application of retardant on the Hagen Fire due to topography, fuel and fire activity. The night division was able to carry through with the success of the day shift and continue to hold and mop up fire lines. Today firefighters will continue to use aerial resources as well as defensive firing in small sections to create a buffer between the fire edge and values at risk. Fire managers will continue to look for opportunities to go as direct as possible to reduce the footprint of the fire, especially in the southern section. This may include defensive firing to remove pockets of unburned fuel in this complicated landscape. Fire crews will continue to work hard on the spot fire south of Bingham on the west side of the fire. The very steep terrain requires that crews hand dig fire line with cup trenches to catch burning material that may roll downhill and ignite lower elevation fuels. 

Weather and Fire Behavior 

A slight cooling and wetting trend  will continue for the next few days, moderating fire activity overnight.  Smoke from fires to the west has settled into the area and is expected to lift in the afternoon. Fire activity may increase in the afternoon if the smoke clears and sunlight warms the fuels on the ground or if there is wind-slope alignment. 

EVACUATIONS  

Evacuation Levels:  

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

Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office, Union County Sheriff’s Office 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