Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski declared a wildfire state of emergency Wednesday night.

Incident Information System

Tanker drops retardant on the Iron Mountain fire.

That will allow crews to use resources from the military department to help prevent and fight fires.

The governor said forecasters were expecting severe drought conditions, high heat and little rain for the rest of the summer.

Recent lightning from thunderstorms in southwestern Oregon and the Klamath Falls area have triggered dozens of fires.

On Monday, Kulongoski invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the Egley Complex Fires in Harney County.  

It was burning on about 55,000 acres and was 15 percent contained Thursday.

"As parts of Oregon experience record temperatures and extreme drought conditions, we need to make sure that communities have access to the best equipment. It is essential that the state responds in a concerted and coordinated response," Kulongoski said.

 The Oregon Army National guard said Thursday a Blackhawk helicopter and two CH-47 Chinook helicopters were sent to Pendleton, and three Blackhawk helicopters and one Firehawk helicopter are standing by in Salem.

One of the helicopters was immediately sent to the John Day area to help firefighters.