C.O. firefighters tackle seven small lightning-sparked wildfires, all kept under an acre

(Update: New lightning-sparked fires stopped small, FS says)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Central Oregon firefighters tackled seven small new lightning-sparked wildfires Friday evening and are keeping watch for any new starts in the area.

Officials said the fires were mostly in the Deschutes National Forest's Crescent Ranger District and along the Cascade crest. All were under an acre.

With lightning events forecast through the weekend, the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Central Oregon District said Friday it's preparing for potential fire activity. In certain parts of the state, the lightning has already begun. 

In John Day, the local unit responded to four lightning fires that were reported between 4:30 and 6 p.m. Thursday. Aggressive initial attack and helpful rain showers caught all four fires at less than 0.1 of an acre. 

In preparation for the weekend, the district has adjusted schedules and strategically moved engines to make sure there is consistent coverage as fires emerge. Additional severity resources have also been activated including a strike team of ODF engines from Western Oregon, dozers and ODF fire crews.

Early detection is key during these events, so ODF’s night flying multi-mission aircraft with infrared has been strategically based in Prineville and smoke detection cameras are fully operational. 

It is imperative that Oregonians practice wildfire prevention this weekend," Friday's report said. "With an expectation for a lot of lightning, the district anticipates using majority of its resources to keep fire perimeters small. The less avoidable, human-caused fires we have, the less our resources are strained, and the less our firefighters are fatigued."

For wildfire prevention tips, visit www.keeporegongreen.org. Check your regulated use closures at https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/restrictions.aspx.