Forest Crews Monitor Lightning Fires
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest firefighters are monitoring for holdover fires after more than 2,000 lightning strikes while continuing prescribed burning operations.
A firefighter conducts a prescribed underburn during the Wonder 2 RX operation on the Siskiyou Mountains Ranger District on May 1, 2026. Photo courtesy of Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.
SOUTHERN OREGON — Firefighters on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest are continuing prescribed fire operations while also monitoring for possible new starts after a recent lightning event across the forest area.
According to the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, crews have been working over the past several weeks to reduce ground fuel loads through prescribed underburning in several locations across the forest. The agency said the low-intensity burning is designed to replicate naturally occurring fire that has long been part of the forest ecosystem.
Crews use several ignition methods during the work, including drip torches. The devices allow firefighters to carefully place a slow, steady line of fire on the ground, where it burns available fuels such as dead and down trees, brush, and leaf litter.
Firefighters move methodically through mapped units, allowing the fire to slowly move through the area while conditions are favorable for fuel reduction without increasing fire intensity. Forest officials said spring can provide a useful window for prescribed fire because seasonal precipitation helps extinguish remaining heat after operations.
The agency also reported that more than 2,000 lightning strikes were recorded across the forest area during a 24-hour period. Some of those strikes resulted in a small number of fires.
Firefighters responded to reported lightning strikes and visible smoke to extinguish and confine the fires. Rain that accompanied the lightning also helped limit new starts.
Firefighting resources will continue monitoring the forest by air and ground over the next several shifts to watch for any holdover lightning fires that may emerge.
Additional prescribed fire underburning is planned later this week. The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest said updates about specific locations will be posted on its Facebook page and on the forest’s prescribed fire operations page on InciWeb.
Recent News
