Wildfires across Oregon have so far burned over one million acres. Although milder weather has brought some relief to firefighters, officials say they still have a long way to go.

As of Tuesday, there have been over 100 active fires reported across the state, 36 of them are large fires burning 100 acres or more. There are also five “megafires” currently burning over 100,000 acres.

Jessica Neujahr, a public affairs officer with the Oregon Department of Forestry, says the recent dip in temperature has provided some relief and allowed firefighters, especially in northern Oregon, to be proactive.

“We’ve had a little bit of rain and that allowed them to boost up some containment on some of those fires,” said Neujahr.

Firefighters battling the Durkee Fire, which is the state’s largest wildfire, have it 51% contained as of Tuesday. New mapping shows the fire has burned more than 290,000 acres. The Lone Rock Fire in Morrow County also saw an increase in its containment lines as officials reported was 77% contained Tuesday.

Despite the recent cool weather, Neujahr says crews still have a long way to go as wildfire season typically peaks in August. Temperatures are expected to rise, and dry conditions are likely to return by the end of the week, she said.

According to Neujahr, this wildfire season has seen a significant rise in human-caused wildfires. Statewide, there have been 567 human-caused fires which have burned over 170-thousand acres. About 357 fires were caused by lightning strikes.

“The best thing that people can do right now is to check their local fire restrictions to make sure that they’re not bringing a potential fire hazard onto the landscape,” said Neujahr.

Being extra careful and mindful of potential fire starters like avoiding driving over dry grass will help prevent new fires, Neujahr added.

Oregon, along with most of the Pacific Northwest region, remains on a national preparedness level five status, meaning the state has the potential to exhaust most, if not all, its firefighting resources.

Neujahr says officials have been pulling any available resources granted to them through the state’s emergency declaration ordered by Gov. Tina Kotek earlier this month.

This week, ODF pulled additional resources from the Oregon National Guard including ordering four hand crews and two medevac helicopters.

Type a location, such as Oregon or Washington, in the search box at the top right of the graphic below to see the latest on fires in the region:

“It is good for us that we’ll get more resources, “said Neujahr. “But it doesn’t change the fact that resources are still strained across the board.”

ODF and other firefighting agency partners have pulled nearly 10,000 firefighters from more than 20 states to help crews battle wildfires in Oregon.

“We’re really trying to protect our firefighters and our incident management teams,” Neujahr said. “This is very exhaustive work and they’re working immensely hard at trying to keep these fires as small as possible … We’re working towards longevity.”

Get the latest updates at the State of Oregon Fires and Hotspots Dashboard.

Durkee Fire

Location: Baker County

Size: 293,390 acres

Containment: 51%

Injuries: 3

Residences Destroyed: 4

Other structures Destroyed: 19

Falls Fire

Location: Harney County

Size: 142,307 acres

Containment: 69%

Injuries: 11

Fatalities: 1

Residences Destroyed: 13

Other structures Destroyed: 15

Lone Rock Fire

Location: Gilliam County

Size: 137,214 acres

Containment: 80%

Injuries: 7

Residences Destroyed: 3

Other Structures Destroyed: 90

Cow Valley Fire

Location: Malheur County

Size: 133,490 acres

Containment: 99%

Injuries: 1

Residences Destroyed: 2

Other structures Destroyed: 5

Monkey Creek Fire

Location: Umatilla County

Size: 110,414 acres

Containment: 10%

Injuries: 5

Residences Destroyed: 4

Other structures Destroyed: 6

The two deputy directors of the state’s police certification agency and a third supervisor have been placed on leave pending personnel investigations after the arrest of another department employee.

Officials from the state Department of Public Safety Standards and Training declined Tuesday to release any details of the investigations.

EUGENE- The University of Oregon’s football program boasts arguably the most dominant wide receiver room in the nation headlined by Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart. The Ducks are the No. 1 receiving corps in the nation, according to Pro Football Focus.  

“I know we have the best room in the country.”

– Traeshon Holden 

 The Ducks are favorites for the Big Ten Conference Championship as well as top contenders for the 2024 College Football National Championship, and their talented group of receivers is a large reason why.  

Oregon returns a core of experienced playmakers, including Traeshon Holden and Gary Bryant Jr., who combined for 892 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Holden was a force last season setting career-highs in receptions (37) and receiving yards (452) while matching a career-high with six touchdown catches.  

Tez Johnson, who made a stellar debut in his first year with the Ducks, is back to bolster an already potent receiving unit. Last season, Tez made history breaking the single-season record for receptions (86) while also racking up 1,182 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Johnson’s 11 receptions for 176 yards in the 2024 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl ranked second in Oregon bowl game history. 

 “As a group, nobody can touch us,” Johnson said Monday. “We play sound, fast, physical. That’s our room. That’s us at heart. We’re the best in the country and I’ll continue to say that. You’ve got Evan Stewart in the room, a new addition. You also have myself, Traeshon (Holden), Gary Bryant (Jr.), you have (Justius) Lowe and Kyler (Kasper) that adds a totally different game when they step on the field.”  

It is not only veterans who are expected to make an impact for Oregon in the upcoming season, but several newcomers are poised for excellence as well. Joining the Ducks this season is highly touted transfer Evan Stewart out of Texas A&M. 

 Last season as an Aggie, Stewart ranked second on the team in catches (38), touchdown receptions (4), average yards per game (64.3), and third in total yards per game (514). 

 Stewart’s addition forms a potentially unstoppable duo with Johnson at the top of the depth chart. This dynamic pair has been dubbed the nation’s best receiving duo by Pro Football Focus. This is a dangerous duo for any defense in the Big Ten Conference as the Ducks chase their first national championship.  

“I never won a state title or a district title or anything in football,” Stewart said. “To win with this team would mean the world.” 

 Oregon’s receiver corps extends further with former five-star recruits true freshman Gatlin Bair and sophomore Jurrion Dickey. Bair isn’t the only young newcomer to the wide receiver room, as he’s joined by four-star freshmen Jeremiah McClellan, Ryan Pellum, and Dillon Gresham. These talented receivers are part of Oregon’s No. 3 ranked 2024 recruiting class, trailing only powerhouse programs Alabama and Georgia in 2024 recruiting rankings.  

Oregon’s tight end room also contributes significantly to Oregon’s aggressive offense. Terrance Ferguson, Patrick Herbert, and Kenyon Sadiq form a dynamic trio that can stretch the field and create mismatches for opposing defenses. 

“The goal is a national championship, and we’ve been vocal about that because we believe it, and everyone in the building has that one goal,”

– Terrance Ferguson

With a core group of experienced receivers returning and a wave of talented young players joining the fold, Oregon’s receiver room is shaping up to be a dominant force in college football.