Thunderstorms forecast for Wednesday, July 22, have prompted the National Weather Service to issue a fire weather watch for portions of southeast Lane County.

The weather service issues a fire weather watch when conditions are such that new fires can ignite and spread rapidly. Red flag warnings, the highest alert about fire and weather danger, sometimes are issued after fire watches.

The fire weather watch goes into effect late Wednesday morning and runs through the evening. 

Wednesday’s thunderstorms are expected to include some rain, but dry lightning also is possible, forecasters said Monday. With Oregon’s forests parched and vulnerable, lightning strikes are expected to start new blazes across the region. Any fires that start could spread rapidly, said Tim Daldrup, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Medford. 

Last week, more than 750 lightning strikes sparked 17 fires in eastern Lane County. 

Daldrup advises those in the region to keep an eye on the weather for changing conditions. 

“Thunderstorms can develop and become intense quickly. It’s very much encouraged to be aware of where you are and what’s overhead,” he said.

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