The 2025 Oregon wildfire season was a series of wildfires that burned throughout the U.S. state of Oregon.
On May 7, Governor Tina Kotek signed a declaration declaring May “Wildfire Awareness Month”. The season is expected to be similarly destructive as the 2024 season, the most destructive in history. On May 27, Senator Ron Wyden criticized cuts to NOAA under the second presidency of Donald Trump and other federal firefighting resources like the Forest Service, framing the agencies as nonpartisan and the cuts as not warranted. The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) set the start date for the season as June 1, but forecasts showed unseasonably hot and dry weather could start fires before the date.
By season end, Oregon wildfires burned 338,551 acres in 2025, which was under the 10-year average, and much less than the 2024 Oregon wildfire season. While acreage was much lower compared to recent years, over 205 structures were lost to wildfires in Oregon in 2025.
Background
"Fire season" in Oregon typically begins in mid-May and ends with the first rains that normally begins in late September. Drought, snowpack levels, and local weather conditions play a role in Oregon's fire season, particularly in Eastern and Southwest Oregon. During peak fire season from July to September, most wildfires are caused by lightning, while ignitions in the early and later parts of the season are related to humans. Warm, dry conditions in summer heighten the wildfire risk. After over 100 years of fire suppression and prevention of all fires, there is now an abundance of fuel. Climate change is leading to a reduced snowpack with an earlier and reduced snowmelt, so there is a higher risk for areas that receive wildfires.
List of wildfires
The following is a list of fires that burned more than , or produced significant structural damage or casualties. NameCounty AcresStart dateContainment dateNotesButte CreekWheeler1,776 First non-prescribed or debris burn in 2025. Burned north of Clarno and prompted evacuations for Mosier.RowenaWasco3,700Closed Interstate 84, evacuations for The Dalles, Kotek invokes Emergency Conflagration Act. Portion of Washington State Route 14 closed. At least 2,000 residential structures under evacuation notices. 56 residences and 91 secondary structures destroyed as of 6/16.FerryGilliam and Sherman10,458Burned in Cottonwood Canyon State Park near State Route 206. Evacuations near Highway 206.Alder SpringsJefferson3,279June 16Quickly growing fire that burned near Crooked River Ranch on the Crooked River National Grassland. Evacuations issued for portions of Jefferson and Deschutes Counties. Oregon State Fire Marshal mobilizes structure protection resources under Emergency Conflagration Act for second time in a week.Wolf HollowGilliam1,200Started by a pickup truck. Burned Conservation Reserve Program fields and grassland. Black CanyonLake1,584Lightning-caused. Burned near Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge.Cold SpringsUmatilla2,489Burned near Hat Rock, one home has been destroyed and threatened 15 to 30 structures.ElkKlamath County2,637Cause under investigation. Burned north of Bonanza. Prompted a closure area for parts of Fremont-Winema National Forest.WillowCrook4,417Lightning-caused. Burned south of Paulina.CramJefferson, Wasco95,736Human-caused. Burning north of Madras. 4 homes and 2 other structures have been destroyed. HelixUmatilla3,472A brush fire started in a wheat field near Helix and burned to the Oregon-Washington border. Multiple departments from both states responded. A burn-over destroyed a Milton-Freewater Rural Fire Department engine, and one firefighter was treated and released for smoke inhalation. Black HillsMalheur4,958Undetermined cause. Burned southeast of Burns Junction.Mendiola RoadMalheur1,641Undetermined cause. Burned west of Adrian.KinkadeMorrowFour fires started almost simultaneously in Boardman, one by a lawnmower, and one suspicious in nature. The brush fire near Kinkade Road spread quickly and destroyed five homes and a former church convented to a food pantry. Multiple vehicles were also destroyed. Butte CreekWasco2,046Undetermined cause. Burned northeast of Simnasho.Little JohnMalheur12,934Unknown cause. Burned west of Arock.Rock CreekMalheur31,960Unknown cause. Burned southwest of Jordan Valley.Lost TomMalheur1,124Unknown cause. Burned west of Huntington.Doerner FirCoosExtinguished August 22Unknown cause, but unrelated to lightning. Burned the Doerner Fir, decreasing its height by .FlatJefferson23,346Human-caused. Started west of Culver in hot, windy conditions. Three structural tasks forces sent under Conflagration act. EmigrantLane, Douglas33,500Lightning-caused. Burned northwest of Oakridge. Closed several recreational sites.Marks CreekCrook1,718Unknown cause. Burned east of Prineville. Prompted evacuations and closed part of Ochoco National Forest.Kelsey PeakCurry, Josephine1,039Lightning-caused. Burning west of Glendale.Moon ComplexCurry19,520Lightning-caused. Prompted evacuations and burned northeast of Agness.Black RockWasco43,842Lightning-caused. Threatened thirty-five homes about west of Fossil.
See also 2025 United States wildfires
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