Oregon Public Broadcasting

The weekend's thunderstorms sparked off fresh fire activity around the state. April Baer reports fire spotters picked up several dozen fires started by lightning on Mount Hood, and in Central Oregon.

Hundreds of lightning strikes hit, as the storm system rumbled over the Cascades.

No structures are threatened at this point. Burning acreage is only in the double digits.

Fire crews are working in the Mount Hood National Forest, and all across Central Oregon.

Grant Camp is with the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center.

He says some equipment and contract workers were sent to California to help with devastating wildfires there. But his initial attack teams are still at full strength.

Grant Camp: "We saw this lightning coming. Our forecasters gave us a good heads-up on this.  So we didn't want to deplete our local initial attack resources, even though California definitely has a need. We had to keep some resources around so we wouldn't be in the same boat they are."

Camp says snowpack was strong over the winter, leaving conditions a bit greener and more fire-resistant than usual. But the forecast calls for more storms later this week, so fire agencies are  staying alert.