Powder River Fire (Oregon)

Burning across Baker County, Oregon, the Powder River Fire near Richland has charred 21,088 acres of private land after a relentless 29-day march that averaged approximately 727 acres per day since its July 17 start. The blaze currently exhibits minimal, smoldering behavior with short-range spotting in short grass standing about one foot tall.

Suppression efforts have successfully brought the fire to 100 percent containment, managed locally by a Type 4 Incident Commander and a sparse crew of just four personnel. Total costs to combat the incident have reached $8,300,000.

This incident unfolds during the region's typical fire season, which spans from June to October. On a broader scale, 2026 has seen 2,902,022 hectares burned across the country so far, tracking 47 percent below the two-decade average.