Salmon Fire Active 2026
Salmon Fire has burned 1,433 acres, burning 18 miles northeast of Prairie City.
Latest update
A lightning storm moved through the Tri-Forest area on the evening of July 7, 2026, igniting multiple fires. The Salmon Fire was discovered shortly after midnight, and the Olive Butte Fire was discovered that morning on July 8, 2026. Initial attack resources responded promptly but were spread thin due to a number of other starts in the area. NW Team 12 took command of the Salmon and Olive Butte fires along with five smaller fires on July 11 at 6 AM. The five small fires were contained by the evening of July 11, but two larger fires remain burning in very steep terrain with heavy dead and downed trees that are drier than normal for this time of year and readily consuming. This heavy fuel loading also has slowed line construction efforts, coupled with running fire and long-range spotting creating a very dynamic and rapidly changing fire environment.
Evacuation notices for the communities of Greenhorn, Olive Creek, and Granite of Baker and Grant Counties are in effect. From July 12-17, the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Green Incident Management Team, along with four structural task forces, supported structure protection operations.
Priorities remain public and firefighter safety, homes and cabins, private lands, and critical infrastructure. Firefighters are working the fires as directly as possible to protect these values at risk, using both ground resources and multiple helicopters and fixed wing aircraft dropping water and retardant.
The fire has also spread into the North Fork John Day Wilderness with additional natural resource values at risk.