PORTLAND – Wildfire season officially begins Wednesday and conditions are ripe for flare-ups, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry.
High winds and lightning on the slopes of the Cascades and into Eastern Oregon were possible Tuesday, forecasters said. Conditions were lined up for fires to ignite, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a Red-Flag Warning.
"With the current and predicted weather, summer is finally here," said Mike Totey, a forester with the West Oregon District. "We want to get out in front of the situation, since the fire danger is increasing."
Many lightning strikes had already been reported around Warm Springs on Monday, where rain was also falling.
Totey said businesses that operate in forested areas, like logging crews, will face restrictions starting on July 11, in order to try and prevent forest fires.
