A wildfire reported June 1 approximately five miles southwest of Lake Billy Chinook prompted temporary evacuation warnings before interagency crews brought the fire under control. All orders have since been lifted.

Open burning is now prohibited across Jefferson County following early seasonal closures triggered by dry conditions and runaway brush fires. The Oregon Department of Forestry has also issued a regulated use closure affecting Jefferson County for the duration of fire season. Here is what residents need to know.

Firefighters from multiple agencies achieved 50% containment on the Jordan Fire near Lake Billy Chinook after it burned approximately 7.5 acres of grass and brush. The lightning-sparked blaze was a stark reminder that Jefferson County's 2026 fire season has arrived early.

A lightning-caused wildfire that briefly prompted evacuation warnings near Lake Billy Chinook on June 1 was 80 percent contained as of June 3, according to Central Oregon Fire Information. All evacuation orders have been lifted.

Oregon's 2026 fire season went into effect May 8 — and a lightning-caused fire near Lake Billy Chinook just three weeks later proved the point. Here's what the season declaration means for residents across Jefferson County, from burn rules to evacuation readiness.

Jefferson County Fire & EMS responded to two separate residential fires in Madras in late May and early June, displacing at least seven people and resulting in one total loss of a family home and RV.

The Oregon Department of Forestry placed Jefferson County under a Regulated Use Closure beginning May 18, prohibiting open campfires, afternoon chainsaw use, off-road vehicles on unimproved roads, and fireworks. Jefferson County Fire & EMS has separately closed all open burning.

A fast-moving vegetation fire in the Warm Springs community triggered Level 3 evacuation orders Thursday evening for Upper Dry Creek, Beaver Drive, and George Drive before being contained. Two homes were lost in the blaze.

Oregon's 2026 fire season officially began May 8, and the Oregon Department of Forestry's Prineville Unit — which covers much of Jefferson County — has been under a Regulated Use Closure since May 18. Here's what that means for residents, recreationists, and property owners.

A family of three lost the RV they called home and dozens of birds and animals when fire consumed a condemned property on NE Collins Drive in Madras on May 26. One firefighter was treated for exhaustion, and the cause remains under investigation.

Jefferson County Fire & EMS responded to a structure fire Tuesday morning in the 600 block of Southeast Turner Street after an initial report of an explosion inside a residence. All four occupants escaped safely, but the family was displaced and investigators are working to determine the cause.