# 2023 Oregon wildfires

This article is a summary of the 2023 Oregon wildfire season, comprising the series of significant wildfires that have burned in the U.S. state of Oregon since the beginning of the calendar year. Fire season officially began in all areas of the state by July 1, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF). As of September 5, 2023, the state had recorded 1,731 fires, which had burned a total of 159,991 acres (64,746 hectares).

## Outlook

Fire season in the Pacific Northwest often lasts from May until October. The National Interagency Coordination Center, in its seasonal fire assessment and outlook released in July, forecast above-normal significant fire potential in the Pacific Northwest through September. The August outlook continued this forecast, predicting that "Significant fire potential will be above average for the entire geographic area in August and September. In October, elevated risk of significant fires will shift west of the Cascades due to the likelihood of dry easterly winds in autumn. By November, significant fire risk will decrease back to normal (i.e., low) for the entire geographic area as cooler and wetter weather arrives."$^{:6}$
All Oregon Department of Forestry districts declared the beginning of fire season by July 1. The Northwest Coordination Center upgraded the region's preparedness level (referring to the availability of firefighting resources) from PL 1 to PL 2 on July 3, PL 3 on July 23, PL 4 on August 12, and PL5—the highest level—on August 19.

## Impacts

Highway closures and wildfire smoke affected businesses in the vicinity of the Smith River Complex fire, burning in northern California and southern Oregon.

## List of wildfires

The following is a list of Oregon wildfires in 2023 that have burned more than 1,000 acres (400 hectares), have resulted in casualties or significant damage to structures, or have otherwise been notable. Acreage and containment figures may not be up-to-date.
| Name | County | Acres | Start date | Containment date | Notes |
| Madeuce | Morrow | 2,160 | May 15 | May 18 | Human-caused. |
| Dillon Creek | Klamath | 3,119 | May 20 | June 6 | Caused by lightning. This fire was allowed to burn at a low intensity, within a confined footprint, for ecological benefits. Estimated cost of suppression is $1.38 million. |
| Hat Rock | Umatilla, Walla Walla (WA) | 16,816 | June 13 | June 17 | Cause under investigation. Burned in grass and sagebrush, causing evacuations as it burned into Washington. Estimated cost of suppression is $663,000. |
| Alder Creek | Wheeler | 1,551 | July 6 | July 15 | Cause under investigation. Estimated cost of suppression is $2 million. |
| Devil's Butte | Gilliam | 2,859 | July 10 | July 18 | Caused by lightning. Burned in rangelands and wheat fields, destroying two fire engines. Estimated cost of suppression is $800,000. |
| Flat | Curry | 34,242 | July 15 | 2023 | Human-caused; under investigation. Burning partially in the footprint of the 2002 Biscuit Fire. Estimated cost of suppression is $59 million. |
| Simnasho | Wasco | 1,280 | July 21 | Unknown | Cause unknown. Estimated cost of suppression is $2 million. |
| Golden | Klamath | 2,137 | July 22 | August 6 | Cause under investigation. 117 structures destroyed, including at least 43 homes. The fire also damaged six miles of fiber-optic cables and more than 100 power poles in Klamath County. Estimated cost of suppression is $8.5 million. |
| Bedrock | Lane | 31,590 | July 22 | October 4 | Cause under investigation. Estimated cost of suppression is $50.2 million. |
| Corbie | Harney, Malheur | 1,141 | August 1 | August 3 | Cause unknown. Estimated cost of suppression is $350,000. |
| Lookout | Lane, Linn | 25,754 | August 5 | October 11 | Caused by lightning. Evacuations in effect. Estimated cost of suppression is $18.2 million. |
| Smith River Complex | Curry, Josephine, Del Norte (CA) | 95,107 | August 15 | November 17 | Burning mostly in California. Caused by lightning. Consists of the Holiday, Diamond, Kelly, and Prescott fires, as well as many smaller fires. |
| Camp Creek | Clackamas, Multnomah | 2,055 | August 24 | 2023 | Caused by lightning. Burning in the Bull Run Watershed in the Mount Hood National Forest. |
| Tyee Ridge Complex | Douglas | 7,945 | August 24 | 2023 | Consists of the Cougar Creek Fire, Tyee Mountain Fire, Big Tom Fire, and Lighthouse fires. |
| Chilcoot | Douglas | 1,940 | August 24 | 2023 | Burning in the Umpqua National Forest. |
| Anvil | Curry | 22,170 | August 25 | October | Burning in the Grassy Knob Wilderness. |
| Petes Lake | Lane | 3,254 | August 25 | 2023 | Burning in the Three Sisters Wilderness. |
| Cottonwood Canyon | Sherman | 2,316 | August 29 | September 2 | Burned on both sides of the John Day River. |
| Morgan | Lake | 2,289 | September 18 | 2023 | Burning in the Fremont–Winema National Forest. |

## Gallery

* The Flat Fire on July 17
* The Bedrock Fire on August 1
* The Camp Creek Fire on September 9