Cedar Creek Fire

The Cedar Creek Fire began on August 1, 2022, caused by a lightning strike. The fire started approximately 15 miles east of Oakridge, OR, and 5 miles west of Waldo Lake, on the Willamette National Forest. The fire grew rapidly in the first few days in inaccessible terrain, then was held at control features for around one month. In early September, hot, dry weather and a multi-day episode of strong, mostly easterly winds caused the fire to expand rapidly to the west, and eastward onto the Deschutes National Forest. The fire encompassed 127,311 acres, in a variety of forested ecosystems. The fire burned a mosaic pattern through most of the area, and the majority burned with low and moderate severity, although areas of high severity are present north and northwest of Waldo Lake and on high elevation ridges and spurs in the southern and western portions of the burned area. The burned area is 100% on National Forest lands.