Fire officials have raised the fire danger rating in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest from high to very high as drought conditions and ongoing wildfires increase regional risk.
The shift to a very high rating indicates that fires can start easily, spread rapidly, and become more difficult for crews to control. According to reporting by The Reflector, officials attribute the increased risk to record-low snowpack in Washington and the presence of multiple large wildfires across the region.
The Skyo Fire remains the largest active fire within the forest. While The Reflector reports the fire is burning west of Packwood, other regional reports from The Columbian place the fire east of Randle.
Under a U.S. Forest Service order, the following are prohibited within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest:
- Campfires
- Charcoal or briquette fires
- Pellet fires
- All other open fires
Visitors are urged to avoid any activities that could create sparks and to report new wildfires by calling 911. Firefighters are currently patrolling the forest to locate holdover fire starts resulting from lightning storms last week.
This regional spike in fire risk follows recent local incidents. As previously reported on August 3, 2026, 42 firefighters were required to contain a brush fire that broke out behind a home in Vancouver on July 31, eventually spreading toward Interstate 5.
Current fire restrictions and updates are available through the U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Heat Advisory in place for Portland metro area Tuesday, Wednesday
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