(PORTLAND, Ore.) The Oregon Department of Forestry reported Monday that lightning struck dry areas in southern Oregon hundreds of times in the last 24 hours, starting around 50 new wildfires.
State and federal fire crews used helicopters and planes to drop fire retardant on the new wildfires before they could spread, KATU reported. The new fires were less than 100 miles from the Bootleg Fire, the largest wildfire burning in the U.S. currently.
The ODF said 35 of the 50 fires were confirmed as active. Of the 35 active fires, 20 have been put out and the other 15 are in various response stages. Most of the wildfires are in mop-up stages and are now 100% lined.
The largest fire was estimated at five acres. No homes or other structures were immediately threatened, according to ODF.