Bureau of Land Management Ore. & Wash.

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News Release

BLM And USWFS Launch Prescribed Burn Season In The Pacific Northwest - 10/01/26

(Local note: Prescribed fire operations are expected to begin at the West Eugene Wetlands as early as Tuesday, Oct. 6, weather permitting. The project aims to restore, enhance and maintain habitat for prairie-related species while reducing hazardous fuels. It will also provide safe opportunities for recreation and education in the West Eugene area.)

 

 

BLM and USWFS Launch Prescribed Burn Season in the Pacific Northwest
Reducing the threat of wildfire and restoring public lands

 

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Wildland Fire Service will begin prescribed burning operations throughout Oregon and Washington as weather, fuel, and air quality become favorable. Operations will continue throughout the fall and winter. These burns are carefully planned to reduce hazardous fuels, protect nearby communities, and restore native ecosystems. Information about specific upcoming and active burns is available online.

 

“Prescribed fire is one of our most effective tools for reducing wildfire risk and improving habitat,” said Josh O’Connor, Northwest Geographic Area Fire Chief for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service. “By carefully planning and executing these burns, we’re helping protect communities and strengthen the health of our public lands.”

 

Techniques range from broadcast burning, which is the application of fire to an entire area, to hand and machine pile ignitions. These burns focus on increasing safety in the Wildland-Urban Interface and restoring ecological function to the landscape. Targeting built-up fuels and residual materials from previous thinning operations decreases the load of dead trees, branches, and underbrush that pose significant wildfire risks.

 

What the public should know

  • During prescribed burns, smoke may settle in low-lying areas overnight.
  • Residents are encouraged to close windows at night to avoid smoke impacts.
  • When driving in smoky areas, drivers should slow down and turn on headlights.
  • People with heart or lung disease, asthma, or other chronic conditions, should ask their doctors about protecting themselves from smoke, and monitor their local air quality map.

 

All burns are carried out when weather, fuel conditions, and air quality are within prescribed parameters. Firefighters use a combination of natural features and constructed control lines to keep the fire contained, with protocols in place to minimize smoke impacts on nearby communities.

 

For more information, contact the BLM District Office or the U.S. Wildland Fire Service Geographic Area associated with the burn.

 

-BLM-

 

The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
 

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service conducts operations in close coordination with the Bureau of Land Management. As a unified federal entity under the Department of the Interior, the USWFS integrates expertise to streamline wildfire prevention, response and recovery under our shared mission to foster fire-resilient landscapes and safeguard communities across America’s public lands.

BLM And USWFS Launch Prescribed Burn Season In The Pacific Northwest - 10/01/26

(Local note: Prescribed fire operations are expected to begin at the West Eugene Wetlands as early as Tuesday, Oct. 6, weather permitting. The project aims to restore, enhance and maintain habitat for prairie-related species while reducing hazardous fuels. It will also provide safe opportunities for recreation and education in the West Eugene area.)

 

 

BLM and USWFS Launch Prescribed Burn Season in the Pacific Northwest
Reducing the threat of wildfire and restoring public lands

 

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Wildland Fire Service will begin prescribed burning operations throughout Oregon and Washington as weather, fuel, and air quality become favorable. Operations will continue throughout the fall and winter. These burns are carefully planned to reduce hazardous fuels, protect nearby communities, and restore native ecosystems. Information about specific upcoming and active burns is available online.

 

“Prescribed fire is one of our most effective tools for reducing wildfire risk and improving habitat,” said Josh O’Connor, Northwest Geographic Area Fire Chief for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service. “By carefully planning and executing these burns, we’re helping protect communities and strengthen the health of our public lands.”

 

Techniques range from broadcast burning, which is the application of fire to an entire area, to hand and machine pile ignitions. These burns focus on increasing safety in the Wildland-Urban Interface and restoring ecological function to the landscape. Targeting built-up fuels and residual materials from previous thinning operations decreases the load of dead trees, branches, and underbrush that pose significant wildfire risks.

 

What the public should know

  • During prescribed burns, smoke may settle in low-lying areas overnight.
  • Residents are encouraged to close windows at night to avoid smoke impacts.
  • When driving in smoky areas, drivers should slow down and turn on headlights.
  • People with heart or lung disease, asthma, or other chronic conditions, should ask their doctors about protecting themselves from smoke, and monitor their local air quality map.

 

All burns are carried out when weather, fuel conditions, and air quality are within prescribed parameters. Firefighters use a combination of natural features and constructed control lines to keep the fire contained, with protocols in place to minimize smoke impacts on nearby communities.

 

For more information, contact the BLM District Office or the U.S. Wildland Fire Service Geographic Area associated with the burn.

 

-BLM-

 

The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
 

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service conducts operations in close coordination with the Bureau of Land Management. As a unified federal entity under the Department of the Interior, the USWFS integrates expertise to streamline wildfire prevention, response and recovery under our shared mission to foster fire-resilient landscapes and safeguard communities across America’s public lands.