Oregon has burned more than 2.3 million acres this wildfire season, shattering the state's previous record, and the Salem-based agency responsible for coordinating the emergency response wants residents to take one step right now: sign up for free alerts at ORAlert.gov.

Gov. Tina Kotek signed a proclamation on July 21 at the Capitol in Salem formally designating August 2026 as Emergency Management Awareness Month in Oregon. Secretary of State Tobias Read co-signed the document.

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management, headquartered in Salem, is leading the statewide campaign in partnership with local, tribal and regional agencies.

Kyle Williams, deputy director of fire operations for the Oregon Department of Forestry, told the Statesman Journal on Aug. 1 that 2026 is "the worst we've had it" in modern times, blaming one of the driest and hottest winters and springs on record. By Aug. 9, the state had surpassed 2.3 million acres burned, eclipsing the 2,081,661-acre record set in 2024, according to That Oregon Life.

As of early August, all but two of Oregon's 36 counties were under some form of air quality advisory, OPB reported. Gov. Kotek has invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act 12 times this year, according to The Oregonian. On Aug. 7, 44 Oregon Air National Guard personnel from the 142nd Wing in Portland and the 173rd Fighter Wing in Klamath Falls gathered at Anderson Readiness Center in Salem before deploying to the Grasshopper Fire near Mount Hood. It marked the first time Air Guard members led ground firefighting hand crews.

Marion County firefighters who had been deployed to the Rowe Creek Complex in Central Oregon returned home on Sunday, Aug. 16, as fire conditions improved, according to Central Oregon Fire Information.

What Salem residents can do

OEM Director Erin McMahon, a retired U.S. Army brigadier general, said the month spotlights professionals "who work every day to prepare for our worst day, protect lives, strengthen community resilience, and coordinate help when it's needed most," according to KYKN.

The department's top recommendation: sign up for OR-Alert, Oregon's statewide emergency notification system.

Residents can register by ZIP code at ORAlert.gov, download the Everbridge app, or text their ZIP code to 888777 for anonymous basic alerts. The service is free and connects to FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System.

Marion County Emergency Management has been posting its own wildfire preparedness tips this month, urging residents to maintain multiple ways to receive alerts.

OEM also encourages households to build or update emergency kits and adopt the state's "Be 2 Weeks Ready" standard, which recommends enough supplies to sustain a family for 14 days after a major disaster.

Human-caused fires account for 56% of Oregon wildfires in 2026, up from 52% in 2025, according to Oregon Department of Forestry data reported by KATU. Residents can report suspicious fire activity or request preparedness information through Marion County Emergency Management.