WIldfire Updates – Tuesday, August 4, 2026

Firefighters continue making steady progress on the Bench Fire southwest of Warm Springs while crews remain engaged on the Round Butte and Grasshopper fires under another day of hot, dry and breezy weather across Central Oregon.

Bench Fire

The Bench Fire, burning approximately nine miles southwest of Warm Springs in the Upper Seekseequa area, is now estimated at 67,238 acres and is 66 percent contained.

The most significant development came Monday afternoon when all evacuation levels on the Warm Springs Reservation were lowered to Level 1 – “Be Ready.” The reduction reflects continued progress by firefighters in securing containment lines and reducing immediate threats to communities.

Although evacuation levels have been reduced, residents should remain prepared in case conditions change and continue to use caution when traveling through fire-affected areas where firefighting operations remain underway.

Round Butte Fire

The Round Butte Fire, burning near the 5500 block of Southwest Boulder Lane near Culver, is estimated at 1,090 acres and was listed at  7 percent containment last night.

Officials have also reduced evacuation levels for many areas surrounding the fire as crews continue building containment lines and mopping up hotspots.

Residents returning to their homes are urged to remain alert for firefighters, engines, heavy equipment and other emergency vehicles that continue working throughout the fire area. Drivers should slow down, follow traffic controls and give firefighting personnel plenty of room to work safely.

Fire Weather

Firefighters on both the Bench and Round Butte fires will face another day of challenging weather.

The National Weather Service forecasts hot, dry and breezy conditions across Central Oregon as high pressure remains over the region. Relative humidity is expected to fall into the teens during the afternoon while southwest winds increase with gusts reaching 20 mph. A Fire Weather Watch remains in effect as critically dry vegetation continues to support rapid fire growth.

While cooler overnight temperatures and modest humidity recovery helped reduce fire activity, the combination of afternoon heat, low humidity and gusty winds could increase fire behavior along both fire perimeters.

Grasshopper Fire

The Grasshopper Fire, burning approximately 0.3 miles west of Rocky Butte and 12 miles east of Government Camp in Hood River and Wasco counties, has grown to 34,659.3 acres and is now 17 percent contained.

Fire managers continue battling extremely difficult conditions as temperatures climb into the triple digits across portions of the Mount Hood National Forest. Hot, dry and smoky weather combined with persistent east-to-west winds are challenging containment efforts, particularly along the western edge of the fire.

Gusty east winds continue pushing the fire higher into wilderness drainages, increasing the potential for additional fire spread despite ongoing suppression efforts.

Early Tuesday morning, Hood River County officials upgraded Elk Mountain to a Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation status. Residents in that area should leave immediately and follow instructions from local emergency officials.

Fire managers continue to remind the public that weather conditions can change rapidly and that everyone should remain aware of current evacuation information and avoid traveling into active fire areas unless absolutely necessary.