Triple-digit heat and lightning may lead to early wildfires - News - DailyTidings.com - Ashland, OR

Ashland Daily Tidings (Ashland, OR — Wayback)

2015-08-05

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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation  |  Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED   » NEWS NOW   Local Take: How are you coping with all the smoke?       ...       Our View: Time to move on       ...       Mochas, midrash and mysteries: The problem with atheists and believers       ...       Local Take: How are you coping with all the smoke?       ...       Our View: Time to move on       ...       Mochas, midrash and mysteries: The problem with atheists and believers       ...           WEATHER Triple-digit heat and lightning may lead to early wildfires Triple-digit temps and lightning may lead to early wildfires, forecasters warn And weather officials say it doesn't stop there. Comment By Ryan Pfeil For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Ryan Pfeil For the Tidings Posted Jun. 8, 2015 at 8:58 PM By Ryan Pfeil For the Tidings Posted Jun. 8, 2015 at 8:58 PM »  Social News Triple-digit heat broke records Sunday and today, and the National Weather Service warns that expected lightning this week could start multiple fires in southwestern Oregon and Northern California. Monday's record high for Medford for June 8 — 101 degrees set in 1955 — was smashed at a whopping 105 degrees. Sunday's 101-degree high also toppled a record, set in 1926 at 98 degrees. Ashland's high of 97 tied the record high for the date. The scorching conditions, coupled with lightning-laden thunderstorms expected in portions of southwestern Oregon and Northern California Tuesday and Wednesday, prompted the weather service to issue a red-flag warning for 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday. "Abundant cloud-to-ground lightning is expected to result in many fire starts due to dry fuel conditions in the watch area," a message from the weather service reads.  "We're expecting some pretty widespread thunderstorms," meteorologist Mike Petrucelli says. "All the ingredients are lining up."  Petrucelli says the Oregon Coast and much of Douglas County likely will be unaffected by the storms, but that "mostly everywhere else (in southwestern Oregon) is kind of free game." Weather officials say gusty winds of up to 50 mph are possible Tuesday, adding to the risk of potential wildfires, though scattered moderate to heavy rainfall is also expected. Another triple-digit day is predicted, though temperatures are forecast to cool into the low to mid 90s the rest of the week. Fire season started Friday, meaning  burn piles, ditch burns and open-barrel burning are prohibited. Firefighters in Josephine County already are battling a wildfire in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. The Red Dog fire, burning in the Wild Rivers Ranger District, had grown to 10 acres today. Located about five miles southwest of Onion Mountain and two miles east of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness, the fire likely began with a lightning strike at about 9:30 p.m. Saturday, officials say.  Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected]. Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil. By Ryan Pfeil For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Ryan Pfeil For the Tidings Posted Jun. 8, 2015 at 8:58 PM » Comment or view comments   Reader Reaction »  STAY INFORMED   Email NewsLetter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed   Email newsletter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.    Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service  |  Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501