Fire in the Gorge 2026 story collection
Columbia Gorge News' third annual Fire in the Gorge edition.
Coming off the devastating 2025 wildfire season, this year’s Fire in the Gorge feels particularly relevant.
How two residents helped save five homes, and what factors complicated the initial response to last summer’s destructive blaze.
Looking down the barrel of longer, all but guaranteed severe wildfire season, boots are being broken in, Pulaskis sharpened and trainings repeated until they become habit across the region, including at the Washington Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Dallesport Work Center.
“We’re ready for things to be drier than normal,” said Lucas King, fire and fuels program at Mt. Adams Resource Stewards (MARS). The organization works to put good fire, more commonly known as prescribed burns, on the forest floor of fire-adapted landscapes in the Gorge.
The Oregon white oak is an unusual species — with deep cavities, long winding trunks, and a life span of hundreds of years, it has carved out a unique spot in the Columbia River Gorge’s ecosystem.
THE GORGE — The Columbia River Gorge is rich in vegetation, home to more than 800 species of plants, including 15 wildflowers that exist nowhere else on the planet. But as wildfires become more frequent and unpredictable, some plants in the region are best avoided, particularly when it comes to landscaping around your property.
LYLE — A consequence of warming temperatures clashing with human negligence, the frequency and severity of Gorge wildfires have intensified in the 21st century, sparking the inevitable question for wineries and homeowners alike year after year: whose turn is it next?
Katie Skakel is now Hood River County’s emergency and resilience program manager.
This winter saw high temperatures and poor precipitation. Mass evaporation further dried out fuels. Only a very strong El Niño could help avoid repeat next year.
“Before Wildfire Strikes: Improving Wildfire Preparedness in Hood River County,” a free presentation at Columbia Center for the Arts on April 29, brought together hosts Hood River All-Lands Partnership, the Oregon State Fire Marshal, Oregon State University Extension and other local partners to share information and resources on wildfire — starting at 10,000 feet and ending with the makeup of wildfire smoke.
WASCO CO. — “When I perform Home Ignition Zone assessments, I tell people to ‘Think like an ember,’” said Melissa Napoli, Wasco County wildfire coordinator.
Fire restrictions went into effect May 14 on all Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administered lands throughout Oregon and Washington.
Klickitat County has issued burn bans for Zones One and Two on May 18; fire chiefs in Zone 3 have yet to pick a start date, as previously reported. Zone 1 goes into effect June 1.
Signing up for emergency alerts is a strong first step to take in being prepared for emergencies.
Free news: A new wildfire risk assessment tool that takes social vulnerability into account indicates more than 400 communities in the Pacific Northwest are at greater risk than previously thought.
Free news: The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) encourages anyone who may have completed a debris or slash burn in the past few months to monitor and patrol the burn site.
Under hot, dry conditions, all types of motorized vehicles can ignite a wildfire.
How well do you know your evacuation levels? This step-by-step guide explains all three.
Free news: More than 70% of wildfires every year in Oregon are human-caused, with escaped debris burns topping the list.
Evacuation checklist
What to bring if you have 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, or two hours to get ready.
