High Lightning Strikes Prompt Fire Risk In Eastern Oregon

Oregon is currently under a red flag warning due to a significant number of lightning strikes recorded across the state, particularly east of the Cascades. Between Wednesday and Thursday morning, 881 lightning strikes were reported, raising concerns about potential new wildfire starts, especially given the dry conditions.

The National Weather Service

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Medford has warned that more lightning is expected through the weekend, with isolated thunderstorms likely to affect southern and eastern Oregon. The NWS emphasizes that the combination of abundant lightning and dry fuels significantly increases the risk of new fires. Gusty winds associated with these storms could also cause any new or existing fires to spread rapidly.

BLM

A fire weather watch is also in place for southern-central Oregon on Saturday, including Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in Eastern Lake and Western Harney Counties. This alert comes as the region is expected to experience gusty winds and low humidity, further heightening the fire risk.

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Northwest Interagency Coordination Center

The Northwest Interagency Coordination Center is closely monitoring the situation but has not yet confirmed whether any new wildfires have been sparked by the recent lightning activity. As the weekend approaches, meteorologists are predicting additional thunderstorms, with the potential for lightning even extending to the greater Portland area on Saturday afternoon and evening.

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Gallery Credit: KATELYN LEBOFF