Oregon wildfire updates: Round Butte Fire at 1,200 acres in Jefferson Co.; Hagen Fire evacuation levels increase
PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) – Wildfires continue to burn across Oregon east of the Cascades on Saturday, leading to evacuations and causing unhealthy air quality for multiple counties.
With cooler air filling in west of the Cascades, gusty westerly winds in the east end of the gorge today. Gusts up to 40 mph will be possible. The combination of gusty winds, low relative humidity, and dry fuels has prompted the NWS to issue a Red Flag Warnings for most areas east of the Cascades today. Please use caution and follow local burn restrictions. Over 2 million acres have already burned across Oregon and Washington so far this year.
FORECAST: EXTREME FIRE DANGER EAST OF CASCADES
Current Evacuation Levels:
Live updates below:
9 p.m.
Oregon fire officials say the Round Butte Fire is estimated at 1,200 acres.
The Central Oregon Type 3 Team is working with Jefferson County Fire and EMS to fight the fire, and say the decreasing winds and cooler temperatures on Saturday evening have helped to slow the fire.
8 p.m.
Evacuation levels from the Hagen Fire have been raised in Union and Umatilla County:
LEVEL 3 – GO NOW Evacuation Zones:
(Union County)
UCO – 140609D
UCO – 140610S
UCO – 140610N
UCO – 140612N
UCO – 140612S
LEVEL 3 increases in Union County include National Forest lands between the USFS 31 Road and Highway 204, south to the National Forest Boundary. Including USFS portions of Ruckle and Phillips Creek Roads.
(Umatilla County)
UMC – 1406012
UMC – 1406010
UMC – 1406009-B
LEVEL 3 increases in Umatilla County include the east end of Nine Mile Ridge and south along NF 31 Road from Ruckel Junction to Shimmiehorn to the Union County border.
4:30 p.m.
A new fire in Jefferson County called the Round Butte Fire has triggered Level 3: Go Now orders for the SW 16 zone, and the city of Metolius is on a Level 2 warning.
Sign up for alerts: oralert.gov
Evacuation Map
According to the county sheriff, the Round Butte Fire is moving fast, blown by the wind, in the SW 17 and SW 16 areas.
11:05 a.m.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized federal funding to assist with firefighting efforts for the Rowe Creek Complex – West Zone Fire burning in Oregon’s Crook and Jefferson counties.
Approved on Friday, July 31, 2026, by FEMA Region 10 Acting Regional Administrator Vincent J. Maykovich, the Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) will cover up to 75 percent of eligible firefighting costs. At the time of the request, the wildfire threatened homes in Prineville and Grizzly, along with critical electrical infrastructure, the State Highway 26 corridor, and local natural resources. This marks the fifth FMAG declaration for Oregon wildfires in 2026.
Firefighters work the Rowe Creek Complex fire in eastern Oregon on Friday, July 31, 2026.(Rowe Creek Complex/Facebook)
Previously, FEMA had approved Fire Management Assistance Grants, or FMAGs, for several recent fires — including the Lower Dry Creek Fire, Akawa Butte Fire and Grasshopper Fire — but denied grants for the East Evans Creek Fire and the Rowe Creek Fire Complex, which was the largest fire in the country at the time Oregon applied.
Last week, Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley pressed FEMA to explain why it denied the grants.
More wildfire coverage here.
10 a.m.
Governor Bob Ferguson has declared a statewide state of emergency and issued a statewide burn ban effective through September 30, 2026, due to severe drought conditions, unusually high temperatures, and high winds exacerbating Washington’s record-setting wildfires. The emergency proclamation comes ahead of an unprecedented “particularly dangerous situation” Red Flag Alert by the National Weather Service, rating the weather risk today as “extreme” across Eastern Washington.
The Governor’s proclamation establishes a statewide ban on outdoor burning, which prohibits yard debris burning, trash disposal, land clearing, weed abatement, bonfires, and uncontained campfires. The ban does not prohibit liquid- or gas-fueled stoves or grills over non-flammable surfaces, permitted agricultural burning, or campfires contained in structures on private property or within designated parks. Additionally, it remains unlawful to sell or discharge consumer fireworks outside of licensed displays.
Officials urge Washingtonians to prevent further ignitions by avoiding open flames, checking vehicles for dragging chains or mechanical issues before traveling, and properly extinguishing and disposing of all smoking materials.
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