Thunderstorms raked Oregon with lightning strikes the evening of Sept. 3 and ignited numerous new wildfires across the state, according to state and federal officials.
Firefighters and hot shot crews were dispatched to multiple locations including the McKenzie River Canyon east of Eugene and the Rogue River Canyon in southwest Oregon, to name just a few places.
The new fires closed state parks and have brought some evacuations. Most of the fires are small for the moment, but could grow rapidly due to hot weather and dry fuels.
Emigrant Fire grows to 30,500 acres south of Oakridge
The Emigrant Fire grew to 30,500 acres by the morning of Sept. 4 and remains 0% contained.
“The last two nights, cloud cover trapped warm, dry air near the ground surrounding the Emigrant Fire, allowing it