The Oregon Department of Forestry is reminding Josephine and Jackson County members to be alert for potential fires today.
September is bringing a chance for thunderstorms across the majority of both counties today, along with hot temperatures and gusty winds. Lightning strikes can cause new fires, and all of these conditions can fuel their growth.
As a result, the US National Weather Service Medford office issued a Red Flag Warning for the eastern and southern borders of Jackson County and the southern portion of Josephine County until 9 p.m. today.
A smaller chance for thunderstorms is present across the rest of both counties. The storms moving in this afternoon and evening are already active in central California this morning.
Firefighters are ready to respond to new fires, and ODF is monitoring radar as storms approach the Rogue Valley.
Lightning-caused fires can’t be prevented, but human-caused fires can. The activities that frequently cause fires are regulated by ODF, and abiding by them does prevent wildfires from starting. In Josephine and Jackson counties, the fire danger level remains at Extreme.
