Aerial view of the Austin Fire in Mt. Hood National Forest on Aug. 23, 2026.
Courtesy of InciWeb
The U.S. Forest Service has expanded its emergency closure order due to wildfires burning across the Mt. Hood National Forest.
The Austin and Narrows fires, located in the Clackamas River Ranger District, prompted officials to shut down all public entry and travel across several roads and popular recreation sites, including Lake Harriet, Timothy Lake and Bagby Hot Springs.
The closure also includes campgrounds along the Clackamas River east of Carter Bridge. The shutdown also prompted authorities to issue Level 3 “Go Now!” evacuation orders for the same areas.
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office says the closure will keep people safe and away from crews working to contain the fires.
The USFS is also warning people to continue to follow fire restrictions in order to avoid sparking any new wildfires. The agency says this season’s drought conditions combined with hot and dry weather have increased wildfire risks.
The Austin Fire has burned more than 9,000 acres and is still zero-percent contained as of Thursday afternoon. The fire remains under investigation.
