BAKER CITY, OR — A series of lightning-caused wildfires ignited in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest during the overnight hours of Sunday, July 27, as a slow-moving thunderstorm passed through the region, U.S. Forest Service officials said Monday.
The storm moved from near Unity, northeast through Baker City, Halfway, the Eagle Cap Wilderness, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, and into western Idaho. While the system brought widespread lightning, rainfall helped dampen conditions, with recorded precipitation ranging from 0.10 to 0.25 inches. The Sparta Butte remote weather station recorded a half-inch of rainfall.
As of Monday afternoon, the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center had responded to multiple smoke reports and confirmed seven new fires within its 7.2-million-acre service area, which covers northeastern Oregon, southeastern Washington, and a portion of western Idaho.
Three of the newly confirmed fires were located on Wallowa-Whitman National Forest lands in the Eagle Creek area, within the Whitman Ranger District:
- Daddy Fire – 0.1 acres, contained
- Lily White Fire – 0.1 acres, contained
- Little Eagle Fire – 0.1 acres, not yet contained
Firefighters—including rappel crews, engine teams, and initial-attack modules—responded quickly, supported by Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) resources. Suppression efforts are ongoing until full containment is achieved, after which crews will continue patrols until the fires are declared out.
More thunderstorms are forecast for northeastern Oregon in the coming days, and officials anticipate additional fire starts may be discovered throughout the week.
