Fire Season Arrives In Oregon

By Joseph Friedrichs, 7-01-08

Despite hundreds of inches of precipitation dropping in the Cascades already this year, fire season has officially arrived in Oregon.

More than a thousand lightening strikes since the weekend have bolted Oregon’s fire season into reality, sparking several blazes near Bend.

The Tumalo Creek Fire, burning just north of Bend, has already charred more than twenty acres and forced several evacuations. The fire was 60 percent contained as of Monday.

In addition to the trouble stirred from the lightning strikes, Oregon’s firefighting crews are already depleted with thousands helping out in Northern California.

Fire officials are anticipating more lightning tonight and tomorrow.