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Storms cause over 150 Southern Oregon fires Thunderstorms have ignited more than 150 forest and grass fires in Southern Oregon since Tuesday. Crews were working Friday on 60 fires in the Rogue River and Siskiyou national forests. Most blazes are a half-acre or less and in remote areas where they have posed little or no threat to homes, said Mary Marrs, national forest public affairs officer. The two largest fires, off North River Road in Rogue River, burned about 52 combined acres of forest. Both North River Road fires were contained by late Thursday. Crews were mopping up the two fires Friday afternoon, making sure remaining embers were put out. National Park Service officials are still looking for four fires started by lightning strikes Tuesday night in remote areas on the west side of Crater Lake National Park. Officials planned to use aircraft Saturday morning to assist with the search. Crews put out two fires and contained one in the west section of the park Tuesday night. No structure or visitors were at risk, said David Brennan, chief park ranger. In the Medford area, 27 fires were reported since Tuesday. Crews were working on nine small fires Friday that burned about 10 total acres. The Nugget Butte fire outside Gold Hill and the Lawson fire in the Siskiyou National Forest burned about 10 acres each. The Four Corners fire in the Ashland watershed area burned around 4 acres. Nugget Butte and Four Corners were under control by Friday afternoon. Lawson was contained. Two small blazes popped up Friday in rural Jackson County. Crews were working Friday on a 1.5-acre fire near Lost Creek Lake. A 1-acre fire at Woodrat Mountain near a popular hand-gliding launch east of Ruch was extinguished Friday. Oregon Department of Forestry was monitoring some 90 fires in Southern Oregon on Friday afternoon to prevent future flare-ups . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.