Wildfire, Malheur
- When
- July 21, 5:30 PM MST to July 22, 5:00 PM MST
- Where
- Malheur County, 10 mi SW of Juntura
- Coordinates
- 43.193, -117.623 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Wildfire and Damaging Wind in Oregon, July 21 to 22, 1997
During the evening of July 21st a dry thunderstorm produced wind damage in the Baker County town of Keating. Spotter reports indicated trees and power lines down along highway 203 and a tree down on a trailer.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS BOI wrote it up.
During the evening of July 21st a dry thunderstorm produced wind damage in the Baker County town of Keating. Spotter reports indicated trees and power lines down along highway 203 and a tree down on a trailer. Dry lightning from this storm started 4 wildfires in Harney and Malheur Counties. The largest fire burned 1200 acres near the town of Juntura before being brought under control on the evening of the 22nd.. Little damage was reported from these range fires.
The radar
The Boise radar (KCBX), 117 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:27 UTC.
Event by event
1 wildfire, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Baker
- When
- July 21, 6:30 PM MST
- Where
- Baker County, Keating
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Coordinates
- 44.870, -117.580
What these are
- Wildfire
- A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Flash Flood and Hail in Oklahoma, July 21, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Montana, July 21, 1997
- Lightning Strike in Wisconsin, July 21, 1997
- Flash Flooding in Alabama, July 21 to 22, 1997
- Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Virginia, July 21, 1997
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Oklahoma, July 21, 1997
- Lightning Strikes in Pennsylvania, July 21 to 22, 1997
- Lightning Strike in North Carolina, July 21, 1997
- Damaging Wind in South Dakota, July 21, 1997
- Damaging Wind in New Mexico, July 21, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, July 21, 1997
- Flash Flood in North Carolina, July 21, 1997
More
Every storm in Oregon in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, July 1997
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5610092, 5610091.