Local News

Bench Fire – Daily Information Update 07/29/26

Posted on by Samiakin.Allen@wstribes.org
29
Jul
Bench Fire community meeting to be held Thursday evening
Daily Update for July 29, 2026
Public Phone: 541-707-8719 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
Media Phone: 541-981-5978 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
Acres: 60,271
Start Date: Thursday, July 23, 2026
Location: 4 miles southwest of Warm Springs, Ore.
Cause: Undetermined
Personnel: 586
Fuels: Grass and shrub, ponderosa pine
Containment: 3%
Latest Update: Southwest Area Incident Management Team 4 and Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Red Incident Management Team will hold a public meeting tomorrow, Thursday July 30, at a time and location to be determined and announced in advance. Community members can attend to receive the latest information about the Bench Fire and ongoing suppression efforts. The meeting will also be livestreamed on the Bench Fire Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/2026.benchfire). Please note that individuals do not need to log in to Facebook to view the livestream and can click the gray “X” in the upper righthand corner of the pop-up to access posted content.
Ongoing & Planned Operations: Crews spent yesterday and last night using firing operations to establish containment line along the northwest perimeter of the fire. Crews will spend today securing and strengthening that containment line. Crews will also work to mop up and secure containment line established on the east side of the fire while addressing a few areas where fire moved beyond those containment lines. Firefighters continue seeking contingency containment lines. Aerial resources are now committed to the Bench Fire and will be conducting strategic bucket drops throughout today’s shift. An initial attack group has been established and will respond to any new starts located within the Bench Fire area.
Oregon State Fire Marshal task forces continued structural protection operations on the Bench Fire in coordination with wildland resources, mopping up around structures in the Pelton Dam and the Seekseequa Road area. Throughout the day, firefighters quickly extinguished several hot spots and flare-ups near homes, preventing rekindles from threatening nearby structures. Overnight, OSFM task forces will continue patrolling around homes throughout the Warm Springs community, extinguishing lingering heat, and responding as conditions evolve.
Weather & Smoke: Today’s temperatures will push into the high 80s. An incoming front of cooler and drier air will lead to lower humidities over the coming days. Smoke impact from the Bench Fire and other nearby fires will remain noticeable in the central Oregon area. A smoke outlook is visible at https://outlooks.airfire.org/outlook/6aaf6480.
Evacuations & Closures: Evacuations remain in effect. Residents should follow local emergency notifications and evacuation instructions. An interactive evacuation map is available via Jefferson County at https://fr911orgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=e1000ff48be84d6ba23431f303d2c247. Road conditions can change at any time, and travelers should monitor Oregon road conditions using tripcheck.com. Regardless of road status, motorists should be cognizant of increased fire vehicle traffic on area roads.
More Information: Stage 2 fire restrictions remain in effect in Jefferson County and Warm Springs. A map of fire restrictions can be viewed at https://gisapps.odf.oregon.gov/firerestrictions/PFR.html. The Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in effect over the fire area has been modified. Unauthorized drone use can impede firefighting operations and presents a risk to firefighter safety. If you fly, we can’t. More information is available at https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_6_8859.
Samiakin.Allen@wstribes.org