August 5, 2023 3:40 a.m.

A lightning storm that spanned the Cascades late Thursday and early Friday resulted in approximately one hundred ninety-one strikes on the Umpqua National Forest but only eleven new fire starts.

Information from the Umpqua National Forest released Monday said the majority of lightning strikes occurred around the Diamond Lake area where there were one hundred seventy-five strikes. UNF wildland firefighters, non-fire support staff, contract crews and lookouts helped to engage suppression operations safely and effectively on each fire detected by air and ground.

There are currently no closures in place due to the fires. All fires are under one acre. Seven of the fires are controlled and four are contained.

The UNF is still under Very High Fire Danger and Public Use Restrictions are at Level 2. More information about PUR’s are linked: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/umpqua/fire/?cid=FSEPRD937986’