Fire crews on both sides of the state line spent Monday fighting fires from Sunday's thunderstorms and waiting for new flare-ups to show.Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) crews stopped the spread of the Sterling Creek Fire, which had forced home evacuations on Sunday night. By midday, the Level 3 "go" evacuation orders had been downgraded to Level 1, meaning "be ready." Fire managers estimated 100 acres were affected.
Sterling Creek is one of a handful of fires ODF is managing as the Wagner Creek Complex. The others are the Green Top Mountain Fire near Eagle Point and a scattering of smaller fires in the Elk Creek and Trail Creek drainages in the Upper Rogue country. None are believed to threaten any structures.
Not far from Sterling Creek, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest crews focused on the Hendrix Fire, burning near the Siskiyou Crest southwest of Ashland. Monday morning estimated it was affecting 100 acres.
Cal Fire crews kept the Steamboat Fire near Montague from growing. The fire forced the closing of the Shasta Valley Wildlife Area to the public. By Monday evening, the fire was reported at 224 acres and 75 percent contained. The Klamathon Fire, burning since July 5, remained unchanged: 38,008 acres large and 95 percent contained.
Thunderclouds built up over southern Jackson County and Northern Siskiyou County Monday afternoon, but lightning maps showed no strikes.
Fire agencies warned the public that hots spots from lightning strikes can smolder for days before erupting into flame, so additional fires could start even without new lightning.
Weather forecasts call for daytime highs at or above 100 degrees for several more days.