Oregon and Washington Wildfire Acreage Surpasses One Million, Exceeding 10-Year Average
Oregon and Washington have collectively surpassed one million acres burned due to wildfires this year, exceeding the 10-year average. This surge is attributed to recent dry lightning strikes and vegetation that is abnormally dry from the past winter's snow drought.…
Portland, OR, July 26, 2026 —
Oregon and Washington have collectively surpassed the grim milestone of one million acres burned by wildfires this year, a figure that significantly exceeds the 10-year average for this period.
The increased acreage burned is largely attributed to a combination of recent dry lightning strikes, which can ignite fires without accompanying rain, and vegetation that has become abnormally dry. This dryness is a direct consequence of the past winter’s snow drought, which resulted in reduced snowpack and subsequently drier conditions across the landscape.
While Eastern Oregon has been grappling with significant smoke impacts and widespread air quality alerts due to these fires, areas to the west, including the Portland Metro area, have largely been spared from the haze. Onshore winds have played a crucial role in pushing smoke away from these western regions.
However, wildfire risk is projected to escalate in the coming months. Authorities anticipate an increased risk of fires west of the Cascade Mountains throughout August and September, traditionally peak wildfire season.
Story summarized from the original created by Payton Major on www.kptv.com, see more information here.
