Wildland Fire Training Planned on Reservoir Hill in Roseburg

ROSEBURG, Ore. — Residents may see smoke and fire activity on Reservoir Hill later this month as local fire agencies conduct wildland fire training exercises.

The City of Roseburg Fire Department, Central Douglas Fire & Rescue, and Cow Creek Tribal Fire Management will take part in the training on June 15, 17, and 19, 2026. Training is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, though firefighters may remain in the area afterward for cleanup.

Live burning will take place throughout the day during the exercises. The burns will be conducted on three separate portions of the hillside, allowing crews to train in different areas over the course of the three training days.

Ahead of the larger training burns, firefighters will conduct smaller controlled burns on Wednesday, June 10. Those burns are intended to create a safety barrier near residential properties and City of Roseburg assets before the main exercises begin.

The training will take place on property owned by the City of Roseburg, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, and private landowners.

Fire officials said the training is designed to give crews refresher experience in wildland firefighting tactics, improve command and control procedures during multi-unit incident responses, and reduce fuels on the hillside to help lower the risk of an uncontrolled fire in the area.

The City of Roseburg thanked Central Douglas Fire & Rescue and Cow Creek Tribal Fire Management for their support and participation, saying the joint effort helps strengthen coordination between agencies and improves overall readiness. The Roseburg Police Department was also thanked for providing additional assistance related to the training.

Officials said safety will remain the top priority during the exercises. Photographers and members of the public are asked to stay away from the designated burn site. Drone operators are also reminded that flying drones over the prescribed burn area is prohibited because of safety concerns and the potential to interfere with firefighting operations.

Media members who want to interview a Public Information Officer about the training may contact Staff Assistant Amy Rice at 541-492-6727 or arice@roseburgor.gov to coordinate a time at the training site.