Little Buck Fire (Oregon)

Burning across private lands in Wasco County, Oregon, 21 miles west of Fossil, the active Little Buck Fire has consumed 43,818 acres since it started on July 23, 2026. Over its 18 days of burning, the fire has maintained an average daily growth of approximately 2,434 acres per day, driven by active fire behavior in one-foot short grass fuels. Containment efforts led by a Type 5 Incident Management Team and a Type 5 IC have successfully brought the fire to 89 percent containment, with total suppression costs reaching $12,397,374.98.

This natural-caused blaze unfolds within a broader regional and national context where the typical fire season spans from June to October. Despite active incidents like the Little Buck Fire, national figures show that 2,761,076 hectares have burned so far in 2026, marking a significant 50 percent decrease below the two-decade average for the country.