Oregon, 1997

Wildfire and Lightning Strike in Oregon, July 28 to 30, 1997

July 28 to 30, 1997 · NWS PDT · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

1 wildfire, 1 heavy rain, 1 lightning, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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.

The radar

The Medford radar (KMAX), 237 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 wildfire, 1 heavy rain, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Deschutes

When
July 28, 3:00 PM PST to July 30, 3:00 PM PST
Where
Deschutes County, Sisters
Coordinates
43.915, -121.228 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A lightning strike started a 25 acre fire on Black Crater about seven miles west of Sisters. No structures were threatened.

Heavy Rain, Jefferson

When
July 29, 3:00 PM PST to 7:00 PM PST
Where
Jefferson County, Madras
Coordinates
44.629, -121.175 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy rain in Madras caused flooding of some streets and businesses.

Lightning, Deschutes

When
July 29, 6:00 PM PST
Where
Deschutes County, Sisters
Coordinates
43.915, -121.228 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A lightning strike knocked out a pump at a wastewater treatment plant causing between 50,000 and 70,000 gallons of wastewater to spill into Indian Ford Creek.

What these are

Wildfire
A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.
Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

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: 5612200, 5612202, 5612201.