July 21, 2026 4:00 a.m. 

A Fire Weather Watch remains in effect on Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. for parts of southwest and south-central Oregon.

Forecasters at the National Weather Service in Medford said abundant lightning on dry fuels will likely create new ignitions across the region. Any fires that develop could spread rapidly. Numerous new fire starts could overwhelm the initial attack.

The Watch area includes the Umpqua National Forest, Southern Oregon Cascades and Siskiyou Mountains, eastern Rogue Valley, and the Klamath Basin.

Thunderstorms are expected to move roughly north to northeast at around 15 to 20 miles per hour. The storm mode will be mostly thunderstorms, but dry lightning strikes can occur outside of wet cores.

Forecasters said residents should follow all fire restrictions and avoid activities that could cause sparks.

A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions are possible during the valid watch time. These conditions could promote the rapid spread of wildfires which could become life threatening.