Emergency Conflagration Act Invoked for Rowe Creek Complex in Wheeler County, State Fire Marshal Mobilizing Resources

Press Release · July 17, 2026

Emergency Conflagration Act Invoked for Rowe Creek Complex in Wheeler County, State Fire Marshal Mobilizing Resources

On Friday afternoon, the Emergency Conflagration Act was invoked for the Rowe Creek Complex in Wheeler County. The Oregon State Fire Marshal has assigned its Green Incident Management team and four task forces from Clackamas and Lane counties and two from the state of Washington.

The complex is made up of the Camel Hump, Crosswhite, and Redrock fires. As of Friday morning, the three fires had burned 15,018 acres; the estimated acreage is likely much higher based on fire behavior Friday afternoon.

The Wheeler County Sheriff's Office has levels 2 and 3 evacuation notices in place for communities near these fires. The agency is sharing evacuation information on their Facebook page and on their Genesys Protect dashboard.

On Thursday night, the Oregon State Fire Marshal assigned two structural task forces to Wheeler County through Immediate Response. These firefighters worked to protect homes and critical infrastructure. The region is seeing challenging fire conditions with tinder dry fuels and an unfavorable forecast with temperatures expected to climb into the upper 90s, and possibly triple digits. A Red Flag Warning is in place for parts of North Central Oregon through Friday night.

"The extreme fire conditions, the forecast, and these recent wildfires have challenged our firefighters," State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. "We are using every tool at our disposal to protect homes and communities from these fires. I ask that every Oregonian pay close attention to these wildfires and if you are asked to evacuate to do so."

The Oregon State Fire Marshal Green Incident Management Team will be in unified command with a federal incident management team, Northwest Team 2, which has also been assigned to the complex.

This is the fourth time the Emergency Conflagration Act has been invoked in 2026. It is also the fourth conflagration since July 10, 2026.

About the Oregon State Fire Marshal 
The Oregon State Fire Marshal became an independent state agency in July 2023. The agency is dedicated to protecting people, property, and the environment from fire and hazardous materials. The OSFM works with local fire agencies, communities, and other partners to strengthen fire prevention, preparedness, and response statewide. Please note: the Oregon State Fire Marshal is no longer an office.