Deschutes Collaborative Forest Project

⚠️West Bend Trail Closures Update⚠️

The following trails west of Bend have reopened:
🟢Sector 16 between Swede Shelter and the junction with Upper Whoops Trail
🟢Swampy-Dutchman Trail from the Dutchman Flat Trailhead east to the Swampy Lakes Trailhead
🟢Tumalo Ridge Trail from Swede Shelter north to the intersection with the Tumalo Creek Trail

The only closure that currently remains in this area at this time is:
⛔The entire length of Duodenum is closed.

ℹ More Information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/deschutes/alerts/west-bend-area-trail-closures

Tomorrow!

Attend this free library program and learn simple ways to reduce wildfire risk to your home!

📆 This Wednesday, August 5
⏰ 5:30 p.m.
📍 Central Library in Bend

Bend Fire & Rescue’s "Own Your Zone: First Five Feet" is a community wildfire preparedness campaign focused on getting residents to take simple, specific actions to reduce wildfire risk around their homes—especially by creating defensible space within the first five feet. The program provides information on simple steps you can take to protect your homes from wildfire.

If you fly, we can’t.

When drones are in the area, firefighting aircraft have to be grounded, putting crews and communities at risk. Keep your drone away from fire zones so firefighters can do their job safely.

🔥 Protect your home during fire season 🔥
Thanks for this great resource

🏠 Creating a defensible space around your home can dramatically reduce wildfire hazard on your property.

🌲 Paired with prescribed fire and strategic thinning, we can all do our part to protect our homes, communities, trails and forests!

Due to continued hot and dry conditions as well as increased fire starts, the Deschutes National Forest will include all Wilderness areas under Stage 1 public use fire restrictions starting Monday, July 20.

Effective at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, July 20, Stage 1 public use fire restrictions prohibit open fires, including wood, biomass and twig stoves, and charcoal briquette fires within the Deschutes National Forest Wilderness areas (Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, Three Sisters, Diamond Peak and Mt. Thielsen Wildernesses).

Stage 1 public use fire restrictions remain in place for the Deschutes National Forest, Ochoco National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland and Prineville District Bureau of Land Management. Stage 1 public use fire restrictions are already in place for Wilderness areas on the Ochoco National Forest and Prineville District Bureau of Land Management.

ℹ More information: centraloregonfire.org/2026/07/17/deschutes-wilderness-areas-added-to-stage-1-public-use-fire-restrictions-starting-july-20/

Collaborative at work 👏 Through years of structured collaboration and collective interest, we've built trust and rapport across various groups in Central Oregon with vested interests in the forest. This allows us to work together and create recommendations for the Forest Service for forest management strategies.

Working together! 💪

(this is an educational post, there is no prescribed fire currently planned or happening on the Deachutes National Forest due to high temp and low humidity)

Prescribed fire is the best tool we have in protecting our communities from megafire. Here's why 👇

🔥Cleans up excess fuels that feed megafire.
🔥Helps restore the forest to historic norms where the whole ecosystem is healthier and more resilient to wildfire.
🔥 Learn more: deschutescollaborative.org