After several days of staring through a brown haze, people across western Oregon may finally be able to open a window and see the hills again. Wildfire smoke that settled over Portland, Salem, Eugene and much of the Willamette Valley is expected to begin thinning...
News
Welcome to our Oregon News category, where we bring you the latest and most relevant news stories from the beautiful state of Oregon. From the stunning Pacific coastline to the rugged Cascade Mountains, Oregon is home to a wealth of natural beauty, diverse communities, and exciting cultural events.
Highway 26 Remains Closed Between Prineville and Mitchell as Massive Oregon Wildfire Burns Nearby
One of Central Oregon’s most important east-west highways remains shut down as firefighters continue working along the sprawling Rowe Creek Complex. As of Thursday, August 6, U.S. Highway 26 was still closed between Prineville and Mitchell. Oregon Department of...
One of America’s Most Legendary Rodeos Returns to Oregon This September
There are a lot of great events in Oregon every year, but only a handful feel like they belong to the state’s identity. The Pendleton Round-Up is one of them. For more than a century, this iconic Eastern Oregon event has drawn crowds from across the Northwest and far...
National Media Claims Timberline Lodge Is “At Risk of Burning Down,” but the Facts Say Otherwise
Wildfires are serious. Evacuation notices are serious. And when fire officials tell Oregonians to prepare, people should pay attention. But serious situations don’t need to be exaggerated to generate clicks. A national news story published by The Independent on...
Yes, Wildfire Betting Is Really a Thing, and Oregon Senators Want It Stopped
As wildfires force evacuations, destroy homes and send smoke across Oregon and the West, some people are apparently watching the devastation with something other than concern. They’re betting money on it. Online prediction markets have begun offering contracts that...
A Forgotten Newspaper Clipping Reveals Oregon’s Wildfire Debate Was Already Raging More Than 120 Years Ago
Smoke had drifted into Lane County again, turning the sky a sickly-yellow and the surrounding hills into indistinct hazy blue, when I found myself remembering an old newspaper clipping I’d saved during some research into western Oregon history. The clipping came from...
Oregon Republicans Push Constitutional Right to Hunt, Fish and Farm After IP 28 Fails
In a state where fishing boats crowd coastal harbors, hunting camps are a longtime family tradition and farms stretch from the Willamette Valley to the high desert, a new political battle is taking shape over how Oregon protects those ways of life. Republican leaders...
Wildfire Smoke Pushes Portland to Fifth-Worst Air Quality in the World
Portland residents woke up Tuesday to a familiar and unwelcome sign of Oregon’s intense wildfire season: a hazy skyline, muted views of the surrounding hills, and the smell of smoke hanging in the air. By Tuesday afternoon, Portland’s air quality had deteriorated...
Mt. Hood Meadows Ordered to Evacuate as Grasshopper Fire Threatens the Area
Mt. Hood Meadows is under a Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation order as the Grasshopper Fire continues burning through the forests east of Mount Hood. The popular ski resort announced the evacuation Tuesday morning, asking employees, visitors, and members of the public to...
Oregon Wildfires Top 2 Million Acres, Closing In on State’s All-Time Record
Oregon’s already devastating 2026 wildfire season is now within striking distance of becoming the largest on record for total acreage burned. As of Monday morning, August 3, 60 large fires had burned an estimated 2,014,481 acres across the state, according to figures...
Firefighters Make Major Progress as I-5 Wildfire Near Grants Pass Reaches 96 Acres
Firefighters working through the night have completed fireline around the entire perimeter of the wildfire that erupted beside Interstate 5 north of Grants Pass, an important step forward after the fast-moving blaze destroyed a home and threatened surrounding...
Historic Fire Lookout Destroyed by Grasshopper Fire in Mt. Hood National Forest
A longtime piece of Oregon’s wildfire history has been lost to the Grasshopper Fire. Officials with the Mt. Hood National Forest confirmed Saturday that the Flag Point Fire Lookout was destroyed by the wildfire overnight, despite an extensive effort by firefighters to...











