Wildfire threat forces cancellation of Wasco County Fair as scheduled
By Joshuah Albert
Tygh Valley, Ore., Aug. 12, 2026 — The Wasco County Fair Board voted Tuesday night to cancel the remainder of the fair as scheduled after officials warned that rapidly changing wildfire conditions, hazardous air quality and the difficulty of evacuating thousands of people and livestock made continuing the event unsafe.
The board met in an emergency session Tuesday evening as the Grasshopper Fire continued to threaten communities in southern Wasco County. The fairgrounds area was under a Level 2 “Be Set” evacuation notice during the meeting.
Officials told the board the fire had recently made a run of roughly 3 to 3½ miles in about an hour, illustrating how quickly conditions could change. Winds of up to 20 mph and the possibility of dry thunderstorms were also expected to complicate firefighting efforts through the weekend.
Sheriff Lane McGill told the board that officials had established “trip lines” that would trigger additional evacuation orders if the fire continued advancing. One of those points was near Gasby Gulch, about four miles away. Reaching that point could trigger a Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation for the fairgrounds, Shady Brook and Tygh Valley.
A central concern was how to evacuate an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 people from the fairgrounds during a fast-moving wildfire.
Fairgrounds Road provides limited access from the site, creating the potential for a bottleneck involving spectators, livestock trailers and emergency vehicles if an evacuation became necessary. Heavy smoke could further complicate an evacuation.
Representatives from 4-H, livestock and auction committees also urged against conducting the fair under normal operations. They said evacuating large numbers of animals, children, vehicles and vendors on short notice would be extremely difficult and potentially dangerous.
Board members wrestled with the decision, acknowledging the months of work invested by youth, families, volunteers and organizers.
Fair Board President Jeff Guscette acknowledged the community's investment in the fair but argued that the potential evacuation scenario made proceeding as planned too dangerous.
Board member Colleen Stoddard raised the possibility of pivoting to a smaller or shorter event, potentially a jackpot-style livestock show, while Teddy Frankie supported postponing or canceling the weekend's events because of the unpredictability of the fire and evacuation concerns.
Conditions around the area were also deteriorating during the day. One participant, Tracy, told the board visibility had worsened dramatically and that they were unable to access their own home because of the fire.
The discussion eventually shifted from whether the fair could proceed to what portions might be salvaged at a later date or in another format.
Ali Postlewait told the board that postponing the rodeo and demolition derby presents scheduling complications, including conflicts with the Ellensburg Rodeo and Pendleton Round-Up. Late September was discussed as one possible window, although no alternative date was selected Tuesday.
The board ultimately approved a motion canceling the fair as currently scheduled, leaving open the possibility that portions of the event could be rescheduled, relocated or conducted in another form.
Wasco County 4-H subsequently confirmed that the remainder of the fair would not continue as scheduled and said it supported the decision because of the wildfire and evacuation situation.
“We know this is incredibly disappointing,” Wasco County 4-H said in a statement. “So many youth, families, volunteers, and community members have spent months preparing and planning around these dates.”
The organization said animals could remain at the fairgrounds for the time being because it had received no information requiring their removal. However, families were urged to consider alternative arrangements in case the fairgrounds moves from Level 2 to Level 3 and an evacuation is ordered.
Static exhibits will be transported to the OSU Extension Office in The Dalles for pickup, with additional details to be announced.
Organizers are also working to preserve two major pieces of the fair — the animal shows and Youth Livestock Auction.
Wasco County 4-H said it is developing an alternative that would maintain the scheduled dates as much as possible and expects to release more information early Wednesday afternoon.
That effort follows discussion during the emergency meeting about finding another venue or modifying the livestock program. Another fair board had offered Wasco County space for a separate show ring, although officials acknowledged that relocation presents significant challenges, including adequate space, biosecurity and moving youth and animals into unfamiliar facilities.
Planning for those alternatives will largely shift to 4-H superintendents and the Auction Board as organizers work quickly to determine what can still be offered to youth exhibitors.
“This may not be the fair we planned, but we’ll do our best to make it one our youth remember,” Wasco County 4-H said.
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