Abundand lightning and dry vegetation caused several large wildfires in eastern Oregon.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 episode as NWS PDT wrote it up.
Abundand lightning and dry vegetation caused several large wildfires in eastern Oregon.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Pendleton, OR wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 12, 1:40 PM PST, 4 hours 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
240 PM PDT THU JUL 12 2007
.SHORT TERM....SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...MID AND
HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS CONTINUE TO KEEP SKIES PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY
OVER PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST OREGON AND MUCH OF SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON.
THIS HAS MODERATED THE HIGH TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON. EXPECT THAT
CONTINUED CLEARING WILL HELP TEMPERATURES STILL REACH AROUND 100
DEGREES IN THE COLUMBIA BASIN...FOOTHILLS AND YAKIMA VALLEY.
TEMPERATURES WILL AGAIN BE HOT TOMORROW...PARTICULARLY IF LESS CLOUD
COVER IS PRESENT ACROSS THE AREA AS THE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE
REMAINS JUST TO THE EAST OF THE AREA. TEMPERATURES ON SATURDAY WILL
BE A FEW DEGREES COOLER THAN ON SATURDAY...HOWEVER WILL STILL BE
AROUND 100 DEGREES IN THE BASIN...FOOTHILLS AND YAKIMA VALLEY.
THEREFORE...THE HEAT ADVISORY THAT IS CURRENTLY IN AFFECT WILL BE
EXTENDED THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING.
IN AREAS THAT HAVE CLEARED OUT THIS AFTERNOON...CUMULUS HAVE BEEN
DEVELOPING OVER THE LAST HOUR OR SO. EXPECT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS
THIS EVENING OVER CENTRAL OREGON AND SPREAD NORTH AND NORTHEAST. THE
ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN UNSTABLE EVEN AFTER THE SUN SETS...WITH
ISOLATED TO SCATTERED STORMS POSSIBLE ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE
CASCADES IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON AS WELL AS THE MOUNTAINS OF
NORTHEAST OREGON OVERNIGHT. THE AREA WILL CONTINUE IN AN UNSTABLE
SOUTHWEST FLOW ON FRIDAY. MOISTURE THAT IS SLOWLY MOVING NORTH WILL
CONTINUE TO HELP THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING
ACROSS THE REGION. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BECOME STRONG WITH
SMALL HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. STORMS WILL
GRADUALLY DECREASE AND MOVE TOWARD THE NORTHEAST OVERNIGHT FRIDAY
WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF STORMS OVER THE NORTHEAST OREGON AND
SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON MOUNTAINS INTO SATURDAY. ANOTHER WAVE ALONG
WITH HOT TEMPERATURES WILL HELP ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP
AGAIN SATURDAY AFTERNOON OVER THE NORTHEAST OREGON AND SOUTHEAST
OREGON MOUNTAINS. OVERALL...THE BEST CHANCE FOR THE LARGEST AREAL
COVERAGE AS WELL AS THE GREATEST CHANCE FOR STRONGER STORMS WILL BE
FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. DK
.LONG TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL BE
IN PLACE OVER THE AREA THROUGH MOST OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD WITH AN
UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OFFSHORE. THIS WILL PUT THE AREA UNDER A SOUTH TO
SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. PERIODIC IMPULSES FROM THE LOW WILL MOVE
THROUGH THE AREA AND MONSOONAL MOISTURE WILL BEING PULLED NORTH BY
THE LOW. HAVE GENERALLY FOLLOWED THE GFS FOR THE LONG TERM WITH SOME
ADJUSTMENTS. SUNDAY WILL SEE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE
MOUNTAINS OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN OREGON AS A LOBE OF THE OFFSHORE
LOW MOVES ALONG THE COAST INTO BRITISH COLUMBIA. THE LOW REORGANIZES
FURTHER OUT INTO THE OCEAN ON MONDAY AND NO THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED MONDAY. ON TUESDAY THE LOW MOVES CLOSER TO THE COAST AND
SENDS A WEAK DISTURBANCE THROUGH FOR A SLIGHT CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHERN DESCHUTES COUNTY AND THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS
OF NORTHEAST OREGON. WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY WILL CONTINUE TO SEE A
SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE MOUNTAINS OF CENTRAL AND
EASTERN OREGON AS THE LOW DEVELOPS A TROUGH OVER THE AREA AND PUSHES
THE RIDGE OFF OVER THE ROCKIES. TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN A GRADUAL
COOLING TREND AS TEMPERATURES START IN THE UPPER 80S TO UPPER 90S IN
THE LOWER ELEVATIONS ON SUNDAY AND COOL TO THE LOWER 80S TO LOWER
90S BY THURSDAY. GP
&&
.AVIATION...VFR CONDITIONS WILL BE PREVALENT FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS
AT ALL TAF LOCATIONS AND ALONG ALL TWEB ROUTES THOUGH AREAS OF SMOKE
FROM WILDFIRES MAY LOCALLY REDUCE VISIBILITIES OVER CENTRAL OREGON.
SCATTERED CUMULUS ARE BUILDING OVER CENTRAL OREGON THIS AFTERNOON
AND ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL OREGON EXTENDING NORTHEAST THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS INTO
WALLOWA COUNTY THIS AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL WANE OVER
NORTHEAST OREGON THIS EVENING BUT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING ALONG THE OREGON AND SOUTHERN
WASHINGTON CASCADES AND IN CENTRAL OREGON. THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT
TWEB ROUTE 368 AND THE SOUTHWEST END OF TWEB ROUTE 366 AS WELL AS
TAF LOCATIONS KRDM AND KDLS. LOW END VFR VISIBILITIES...SMALL HAIL
AND GUSTY WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. OTHERWISE...SURFACE
WINDS WILL BE 5 TO 15 KTS EXCEPT AT KDLS WHICH WILL SEE 10 TO 20 KT
WINDS WITH GUSTS TO 25 KTS AT TIMES. GP
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...FIRE WEATHER WATCHES AND RED FLAG WARNINGS WILL SOON
BE POSTED FOR THE ENTIRE FIRE WEATHER FORECAST AREA EXCEPT IN ZONE
638 (BAKER). BUILDUPS HAVE DEVELOPED ALONG THE OREGON CASCADES AND
CENTRAL OREGON...AND MORE AFTERNOON HEATING WILL RESULT IN SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS. WATER VAPOR SHOWS A WAVE AT THE SW CORNER OF OREGON
THAT WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL LIFT TONIGHT WITH THUNDERSTORMS
SPREADING INTO THE WASHINGTON CASCADES AS WELL AS THE OCHOCO-JOHN
DAY HIGHLANDS. THE OREGON PORTION OF FIRE ZONE 631 WILL SEE A FEW
STRIKES TONIGHT AS WELL. THE EASTERN ZONES ARE UNDER A FIRE WEATHER
WATCH FOR FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING AND WILL SEE HOW THE
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY PLAYS OUT TONIGHT BEFORE ISSUING A WARNING.
MARINE AIR WILL SPREAD THROUGH THE CASCADES PASSES FRIDAY AND FRIDAY
NIGHT WITH THE AIR MASS STABILIZING BY SATURDAY. THEREFORE...WILL
KEEP THE WARNINGS FOR THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CASCADES THROUGH FRIDAY
AND FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA THROUGH SATURDAY. 85
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT 68 101 68 99 / 10 20 30 20
ALW 72 101 71 101 / 10 20 30 20
PSC 68 104 69 102 / 10 20 30 20
YKM 66 102 67 101 / 10 20 30 20
HRI 67 103 67 101 / 10 20 30 20
ELN 67 97 65 97 / 10 20 30 20
RDM 60 95 57 94 / 30 30 30 10
LGD 63 99 63 98 / 20 20 30 20
GCD 64 98 63 99 / 20 20 30 20
DLS 72 94 69 94 / 30 20 30 10
&&
.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 8 PM PDT FRIDAY FOR ORZ609.
FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING
FOR ORZ633>635.
RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 8 PM PDT FRIDAY FOR ORZ610-611-630.
RED FLAG WARNING FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 8 PM PDT SATURDAY
FOR ORZ631-632.
HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM PDT SATURDAY FOR ORZ044-501.
WA...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 8 PM PDT FRIDAY FOR WAZ609-681.
FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING
FOR WAZ631-633-675.
HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM PDT SATURDAY FOR WAZ027>029.
&&
TI:YYG
FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT...
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PENDLETON
84/83/85HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
215 PM PDT THU JUL 12 2007
UPDATED THE FIRE WEATHER WATCHES AND RED FLAG WARNINGS
ORZ041-WAZ024-501-502-026>030-ORZ042>044-049-050-501>506-131215-
EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF WASHINGTON-
EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES OF WASHINGTON-
EAST SLOPES OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON-
KITTITAS VALLEY-YAKIMA VALLEY-LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF WASHINGTON-
FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON-
NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS-NORTH CENTRAL OREGON-CENTRAL OREGON-
LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON-GRANDE RONDE VALLEY-WALLOWA COUNTY-
FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
NORTHERN WHEELER AND SOUTHERN GILLIAM COUNTIES-JOHN DAY BASIN-
OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS-
215 PM PDT THU JUL 12 2007
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST OREGON
AS WELL AS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON.
.DAY ONE...REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT
EXCESSIVE HEAT
YAKIMA VALLEY, LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF WASHINGTON, FOOTHILLS
OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE
MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON
RED FLAG WARNING
EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, EAST SLOPES
OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, KITTITAS VALLEY,
NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS, NORTH CENTRAL OREGON, CENTRAL
OREGON, LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON, GRANDE RONDE VALLEY,
WALLOWA COUNTY, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON,
NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF
OREGON, NORTHERN WHEELER AND SOUTHERN GILLIAM COUNTIES, JOHN
DAY BASIN, OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL FOREST OR LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCY FOR
CURRENT FIRE DANGER CONDITIONS IN YOUR AREA.
DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, EAST SLOPES
OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, KITTITAS VALLEY,
NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS, NORTH CENTRAL OREGON, CENTRAL
OREGON, LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON, GRANDE RONDE VALLEY,
WALLOWA COUNTY, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON,
NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF
OREGON, NORTHERN WHEELER AND SOUTHERN GILLIAM COUNTIES, JOHN
DAY BASIN, OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS
A HEAT ADVISORY IS CURRENTLY IN EFFECT FOR THE AREAS LISTED UNDER
/EXCESSIVE HEAT/. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST PRODUCT...PDXNPWPDT...
FOR DETAILS. AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES IN THE ADVISORY AREA WILL REACH
100 DEGREES OR ABOVE.
DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS PERSIST ACROSS CENTRAL AND
NORTHEAST OREGON AND SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON. THE
RELATIVE HUMIDITY IS LOW AND THE AIR MASS IS UNSTABLE.
THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE OREGON
CASCADES AND CENTRAL OREGON LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXTEND NORTH AND EAST TONIGHT...WITH A CHANCE
ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON CASCADES AS WELL AS THE
OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS AND THE OREGON PORTION OF THE LOWER
COLUMBIA BASIN. THESE AREAS WILL BE UNDER A RED FLAG WARNING FOR
TONIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST PRODUCT...PDXRFWPDT...FOR
DETAILS.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
FIRE WEATHER WATCH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF WASHINGTON, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE
MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON, NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS, NORTH
CENTRAL OREGON, GRANDE RONDE VALLEY, WALLOWA COUNTY, FOOTHILLS
OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF
OREGON, SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, OCHOCO-JOHN DAY
HIGHLANDS
RED FLAG WARNING FRIDAY
EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, EAST SLOPES
OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, KITTITAS VALLEY, NORTH
CENTRAL OREGON, CENTRAL OREGON, LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF
OREGON, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, SOUTHERN
BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, NORTHERN WHEELER AND SOUTHERN
GILLIAM COUNTIES, JOHN DAY BASIN, OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS
RED FLAG WARNING SATURDAY
LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON, JOHN DAY BASIN, OCHOCO-JOHN
DAY HIGHLANDS
EXCESSIVE HEAT FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
YAKIMA VALLEY, LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF WASHINGTON, FOOTHILLS
OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON, LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF
OREGON, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, JOHN
DAY BASIN
FIRE WEATHER WATCHES AND RED FLAG WARNINGS HAVE BEEN POSTED FOR THE
ENTIRE REGION FOR FRIDAY. ON SATURDAY...THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH AND
RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER COLUMBIA
BASIN...THE BLUE MOUNTAIN FOOTHILLS...THE BLUE MOUNTAINS...AND THE
WALLOWA MOUNTAINS. FOR DETAILS...REFER TO THE LATEST PRODUCT
PDXRFWPDT. IN ADDITION...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SPOKANE
HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING FOR FRIDAY FOR THE EAST SLOPES OF THE
NORTHERN WASHINGTON CASCADES AND THE UPPER PORTION OF THE COLUMBIA
BASIN. DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN THEIR PRODUCT...SEWRFWOTX.
THE HEAT ADVISORY HAS BEEN EXTENDED THROUGH SATURDAY FOR THE LOWER
COLUMBIA BASIN...THE BLUE MOUNTAIN FOOTHILLS...AND THE YAKIMA VALLEY
THROUGH SATURDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE PRODUCT...PDXNPWPDT...FOR
DETAILS.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THROUGH SATURDAY FOR
THUNDERSTORMS.
WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
GRAPHICAL FORECASTS OF WEATHER HAZARDS OUT TO SEVEN DAYS
ARE DISPLAYED ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT:
WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/PENDLETON/CURRENTHAZARDS/HWO.HTML
ALL LETTERS IN THE ABOVE URL ARE LOWER CASE...EXCEPT THE H IN
CURRENTHAZARDS.The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The Fossil Creek Fire burned 3270 acres 14 miles southwest of Monument.
The Black Rock Fire burned 1850 acres 12 miles southwest of Fossil.
This 12,600 acre fire 2 miles southeast of Warm Springs burned into August.
The Tottonwood Creek fire burned 8100 acres 15 miles southwest of Joseph.
The Looney Spring Fire burned 100 acres 14 miles east of Prairie City.
The Trout Creek Fire burned 575 acres 24 miles east southeast of Union.
The Monument Creek Fire burned 54,000 acres 10 miles north northwest of Monument and continued into August. There were 13 outbuildings destroyed.
The Stove Pipe fire burned 770 acres 11 miles south southeast of Mitchell.
The Juniper Canyon Fire burned 1000 acres 6 miles northwest of Holdman.
The Battle Creek Complex burned 79,299 acres 4 miles north northeast of Imnaha and continued into August.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oregon in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in Oregon, July 2007
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: 47481, 47484, 47486, 47487, 47490, 47493, 47496, 47491, 47497, 47498.