Human-caused fires were the focus earlier this week with the Stagecoach and Sunnyside Turnoff fires, but lightning returned to center stage Friday morning in the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Southern and Eastern Oregon Areas. The Southern Oregon Area reported approximately 60 new lightning-started fires. In Douglas County alone, more than 200 lightning strikes were recorded. Douglas Forest Protective Association (DFPA) firefighters have located eight fires thus far and expect to find more as reconnaissance continues. DFPA and other local fire departments are battling the fires.
The Klamath-Lake District in the Eastern Oregon Area received lightning across both its Klamath and Lake units. ODF fire managers are conducting aerial patrols this morning to locate any new fire starts. The Fremont-Winema National Forest and the Sheldon-Hart National Wildlife Refuge reported a total of two new fires on their lands.
ODF prepositioned extra firefighting resources in both areas ahead of the anticipated lightning to enable rapid initial attack on any new fires.
Firefighters in northern Klamath County on Wednesday continued to make progress on the 330-acre Stagecoach Fire burning about eight miles northeast of Gilchrist. The fire, burning on Bureau of Land Management and Walker Range Forest Protective Association lands, is now 70 percent contained. It was human caused.
FIRES BURNING ON OTHER LANDS
The 48,916-acre Sunnyside Turnoff Fire burning on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation at Eagle Butte Lookout remains at 40 percent containment. The fire was human caused. More information is available at: http://nwccweb.us/information/fire_info.aspx