Lightning storms hit Central Oregon

Fireworks may be illegal in much of Central Oregon, but Mother Nature didn’t get that message.

Several lightning storms that pounded Central Oregon over the past 12 days started at least 66 fires, according to Bart Lee of the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center.

While some were in the Sisters area, none of the fires were of any major size.

A Sunday storm started 14 confirmed fires south and east of Bend with another 13 unconfirmed as of Monday morning.

Lightning from the June 28 storm started 24 fires and another 28 fires were started on July 4.

More lightning is possible from a series of weak thunderstorms accompanying an upper-level low pressure front moving through the area this week.