Oregon Forestry Ends Fire Season November 4
The Oregon Department of Forestry's Central Oregon District will end fire season for protected forestlands at 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 4, allowing some burning to resume.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Current Conditions
The Oregon Department of Forestry's Central Oregon District will end fire season for all protected forestlands effective Nov. 4. Landowners under state protection may then resume burning residential yard debris and operating burn barrels.
Why it matters
The end of fire season lifts seasonal restrictions on burning across the district, which protects more than 2.1 million acres of private, state, county, municipal and tribal land in Oregon. Residents should still verify local permit requirements before burning.
The Central Oregon District protects more than 2.1 million acres across 11 counties, and lightning sparked more than 140 fires between July 15 and July 24. Local fire departments may maintain their own requirements, and the extraction does not say whether any restrictions remain in place for those areas.
The players
Oregon Department of Forestry
The state agency that manages wildfire protection and forest management on private, state, county, municipal and tribal lands in Oregon.
Rob Pentzer
The forester who leads the Oregon Department of Forestry's Central Oregon District.
The details
The Central Oregon District, which spans 11 counties, ends fire season for protected lands on Nov. 4 at 12:01 a.m. Burn permits outside fire season remain required in the Prineville/Sisters and The Dalles Units, while no permit is required in the John Day/Fossil Unit.
Timeline
July 15 to July 24: Lightning sparks more than 140 fires across the district.
Aug. 6: The Monument Unit responds to the 722-acre Cottonwood Fire.
Nov. 4, 12:01 a.m.: Fire season ends for all protected forestlands.
Seasonal Patterns
The end of fire season on Nov. 4 follows Oregon's statutory fire-season framework, which sets seasonal burning restrictions for protected forestlands and varies by unit. The July lightning outbreak that sparked more than 140 fires shows how the fire season's early months can carry the most intense activity.
Residents in the Prineville/Sisters and The Dalles Units still need a burn permit outside fire season, while John Day/Fossil Unit residents need none. Landowners within local fire department protection areas should check directly with their local department to verify permit rules and confirm that local burn bans have been lifted.
The takeaway
Before burning after the fire season ends, check your unit's permit requirements and confirm with your local fire department that any local burn ban has been lifted. Following these steps helps keep neighboring lands and communities safe.
What happens next
Fire season for protected forestlands ends at 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 4, after which landowners under state protection may resume burning residential yard debris and operating burn barrels.
Further reading
For ongoing updates, see Current Conditions in Oregon's weather and disaster coverage.
More information
Find fire season information on the ODF Central Oregon District website.
