Lightning sparks fires across state.

Byline: From Register-Guard and news service reports

A string of lightning-packed storms Monday started more than 200 fires around the state, including 35 in the Willamette National Forest.

Though the storms included some rain, the fires were in remote locations and required firefighters to hike in to reach them, according to fire manager Nancy Ashlock of the Willamette National Forest. A number of the fires were scattered south of the South Fork of the Santiam River. No buildings or communities were threatened by the fires, the majority of which were single trees struck by lightning.

"Due to the large number of fires nationally, firefighting resources are stretched thin," Ashlock said. "We are using a combination of engine crews, smoke jumpers and fire crews walking into the sites this morning. It's going to be a busy day."

The largest of the 35 fires is 5 acres and is on a ridge about 5 miles west of Blue River.

In Washington, a new wildfire north of Spokane grew quickly to more than 300 acres Tuesday, burning nine homes and several outbuildings, a state Department of Natural Resources spokesman said.

``These are year-round homes, not summer homes,'' spokesman Steve Harris said.

Another 40 homes were evacuated, Harris said.

In Central Oregon, storms also have started more than 80 fires since Monday. Most of the fires were along the Cascade Range on the Deschutes National Forest and on the northern portion of the Ochoco National Forest, according to dispatch records.

More lightning struck those areas Tuesday and fire managers expect the pattern to continue until this morning.

Private, rural, state and federal firefighters have successfully kept most of the recent fires from growing more than a tenth of an acre through early detection and rapid response.

The largest fire reported since Monday was the Three Horse Fire, burning on federal land in southwestern Wheeler County. Fire managers estimate the fire has burned 500 to 800 acres.

The second-largest fire reported since Monday is the Little Deschutes Fire, burning in steep terrain about 10 miles southwest of Crescent. The blaze is about seven acres.

Two 20-person crews were mopping up the fire and reinforcing containment lines on Tuesday. Fire managers expect containment tonight.

Crews also continued mop-up and land rehabilitation work on the Black Crater Fire. The five 20-person crews, an Oregon Department of Forestry strike team, five engines and a helicopter also will handle any lightning strikes near the fire area.

The fire remains at 9,400 acres and 95 percent containment. On Monday night, thunderstorms passed through the fire area, dropping up to one inch of rain, but also included numerous lightning strikes.

Some areas, trails and campgrounds south of Highway 242 remain closed. However, Highway 242 has been opened to traffic.

A 100-acre fire on Mount Hood prompted authorities to close two campgrounds Tuesday.

The fire was sparked by lightning and was likely to be a priority for firefighters because it was near Government Camp and popular recreation spots, said Mike Fitzpatrick, a spokesman for the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center.

Fitzpatrick said the fire was reported about 5 p.m. Monday and was one of 225 new fires started overnight because of lightning strikes.

The fire north of Spokane, reported Tuesday afternoon, didn't occur naturally and the cause was under investigation, Harris said.

Stevens County Commissioners Merrill Ott and Tony Delgado, together with Sheriff Craig Thayer, estimated that damages would be in excess of $500,000.

The state patrol temporarily closed northbound U.S. Highway 395 between Jump Off Joe Lake and Chewelah. Also closed were state Route 231 south of valley and some secondary roads.

Meanwhile, firefighters continued to battle four large fires in north-central Washington, while keeping a watchful eye for storms that could bring winds and lightning.

Scattered thunderstorms forecast over Eastern Washington were not expected to produce much rain, but lightning strikes could spark new blazes, the National Weather Service said.

Northeast of Winthrop, the Spur Peak and Tripod fires together had burned more than 116 square miles, or 74,312 acres, of national and state forest land.

Smoke from the two fires prevented crews from determining Tuesday whether they had merged, as expected, said Chuck Turley, a fire information officer at Conconully base camp.

There were numerous spot fires in the small area between the two fires, and ``it was very possible that they had merged,'' Turley said early Tuesday evening.

The Flick Creek Fire near Stehekin on Lake Chelan was 25 percent contained at 4,195 acres, or about 6.5 square miles. Fire crews had completed work to search out hot spots with handheld infrared devices, DeMario said, and were working to improve old fire lines.