Residents and outdoor enthusiasts across Jefferson County should take note: Stage 1 public use fire restrictions are now in effect on all Central Oregon public lands, including the Deschutes National Forest, Ochoco National Forest, Crooked River National Grassland, and Prineville District Bureau of Land Management lands.
The Oregon Department of Forestry declared the 2026 fire season in effect beginning May 8. As drying conditions accelerate heading into summer, federal land managers moved lands into Stage 1 restrictions — a status that significantly limits open burning activities.
What Stage 1 Restrictions Mean
Under Stage 1, the following are prohibited on public lands:
- Open campfires, including wood stoves and charcoal fires, outside of designated developed campgrounds with fire grates
- Woodcutting between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m.
- All fireworks, every day
- Smoking except in enclosed vehicles or buildings, or in cleared areas of at least three feet in diameter
Campfires are still permitted in designated campground fire pits. Visitors to popular Jefferson County-adjacent recreation areas including Lake Billy Chinook, the Metolius River corridor, and Prineville Reservoir should verify current conditions before building any fire.
Active Fire Activity Near Jefferson County
A lightning-caused fire known as the Jordan Incident ignited June 1 approximately five miles southwest of Lake Billy Chinook, in brush and timber just outside Jefferson County's western edge. Multiple interagency resources responded, and the fire grew to roughly 7.5 acres before firefighters achieved 50 percent containment. No structures were reported threatened in the latest update.
Central Oregon Fire Information reports that the fire was caused by lightning — the first of the season to spark in the Lake Billy Chinook vicinity.
Drought Conditions Are Severe
Nearly half of Oregon's counties are currently under drought emergency designation, and burn bans are spreading across the state. Portland and Multnomah County entered a burn ban June 15 due to forecasted high temperatures and dry conditions.
For Jefferson County residents, fire season preparedness is especially critical given the county's mix of rangeland, timber, and scattered residential communities like Crooked River Ranch and the Ashwood area, which have historically faced evacuation threats during fast-moving grass and range fires.
Check Before You Go
Current fire restrictions, active fire information, and air quality data for Central Oregon are available at centraloregonfire.org. State restrictions can be checked at oregon.gov/odf.