Oregon's wildfire season breaks historical records for acres burned
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The Falls Fire, shown in July, has burned over 150,000 acres and is still not fully contained. Photo: USDA Forest Service
Wildfires across Oregon have burned more acres this year than ever before in recent history, according to data from state and federal fire officials — and the season is still far from over.
Why it matters: The record-breaking 1.5 million acres — or 2,400 square miles — burned so far in 2024 shows how climate plays a significant role in efforts to control blazes.
State of play: Oregon saw below-average precipitation and above-normal high temperatures earlier this spring, leading to dry conditions and reduced moisture levels in vegetation — factors that "complicate efforts to control wildfires," Erica Fleishman, director of the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute, told Axios.
- Even though humans cause the majority of wildfires, weather events such as recent summer heat waves and high winds exacerbated conditions quickly and made on-the-ground firefighting difficult.
The latest: Firefighters have been able to take advantage of the cooler temperatures and rain this week to increase containment, Jessica Neujahr, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Forestry, told Axios.
- Yes, but: Temperatures are expected to rise again soon and September "is known for east winds," she said. "We are prepared to scale operations back up as needed."
By the numbers: As of Tuesday, there were 71 large fires in Oregon responsible for burning the majority of the state's 1.5 million acres.
- That's the most acres affected by fire since 1992, when the most reliable records are available, according to Carol Connolly, a spokesperson for the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center.
- 295,000 scorched acres came solely from the Durkee Fire — the sixth largest wildfire in the state's history — near the eastern border with Idaho, which is 95% contained.
- Half of the firefighters available in the U.S. — over 11,000 — are currently fighting fires in Oregon and Washington.
- The Falls Fire has so far been the most destructive, destroying nearly 30 residences, buildings and other commercial properties, Connolly told Axios.
The intrigue: This time last month, the state's wildfires had already burned 694,000 acres (more than in all of 2023) as the season got off to an aggressive start.
Flashback: The last record-breaking wildfire season was in 2020, when the Labor Day wildfires burned 1.2 million acres, destroyed more than 4,000 homes and killed 11 people.
The bottom line: While this year has not been as destructive as far as lives lost or structures destroyed, dozens of communities in eastern and central Oregon remain under air quality advisories and evacuation orders.