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Lightning Sparks About A Dozen Small Fires East of Eugene

Schin Haakenson
/
Inciweb

Monday night's lightning sparked several small forest fires east of Eugene. A red flag warning is in effect for most of Oregon through Tuesday with high temperatures and more thunderstorms expected.

Oregon Department of Forestry crews are battling a 20 acre blaze near Dexter. Officials say it isn't threatening any structures. ODF spokesman Nick Hennemann says crews are working to put the fire out as quickly as possible. It's unclear how many other small fires were sparked by lightning overnight.

Henneman: "So the biggest message would be, for folks who are out in the woods, to be very cognizant of the dry conditions and the potential for lightning strikes increasing, and that is what brings on the red flag warning."

Computer models suggest 15 to 25 new fires could start, particularly in and around the Cascades.
Dozens of lightning fires have been burning across the Northwest for the past month and still threaten more than 2,500 rural homes.
 

Rachael McDonald is KLCC’s host for All Things Considered on weekday afternoons. She also is the editor of the KLCC Extra, the daily digital newspaper. Rachael has a BA in English from the University of Oregon. She started out in public radio as a newsroom volunteer at KLCC in 2000.
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