ODF Southwest responds to five lightning-caused fires from Tuesday's storms

SOUTHERN OREGON, Ore. – ODF Southwest responding to several fires on Tuesday after thunderstorms swept across the Rogue Valley.

“We have three confirmed fires on the grants pass unit in Josephine County and at least two on the Medford unit as of this morning and there’s a potential we’re going to find more throughout today,” ODF Southwest spokesperson Natalie Weber said.

In Jackson County, firefighters hiked to remote locations near Sams Valley to investigate reports of smoke.

Other fires in Josephine County include the Valley Heights Fire, located northwest of Selma, the Hayes Hill Fire and the Slate Creek Fire, east of Wonder.

ODF worked with multiple agencies on Tuesday, including Illinois Valley Fire, Rural Metro and more.

“We have great partnerships in Southern Oregon when it comes to our firefighting resources from the local structural units to our federal partnerships and we all work together make sure we’re keeping fire out of southern Oregon,” Weber said.

Thanks to those partnerships, there was a quick response to these lightning-caused fires.

The largest fire ODF responded to was a half-an-acre.

“ODF as an agency we have a goal of putting out fires as quickly as possible and keeping them as small as possible,” Weber said.

Weber tells NBC5 it’s likely ODF will continue to see more lightning-caused fires, from either yesterday’s storms or any news storms today.