Weather whips up Oregon fires

PORTLAND, Ore. - Stormy weather has moved into Oregon, and authorities said it could make a bad fire season even worse, or it could dampen the flames.

More than 6,000 people are now fighting major fires in the state, including one that caused about 100 to retreat when flames raced from a creek bottom to jump roads and fire lines.

Lightning strikes touched off forest fires in the southwestern part of the state late last month, and 914 strikes were reported statewide overnight Tuesday and Wednesday. It was the beginning of some days of unsettled weather that could bring rainfall today and later, forecasts said.

"We expect to keep getting this for the rest of the week," said Jeree Mills, a spokeswoman at the federal fire center in Portland. "It can help, or it can cause major activity. It's hard to tell."

On the southern edge of a fire named Whiskey in Douglas County, fire burned vigorously out of Beaver Creek, and the crews in the area were told to retreat to safety zones. "Everyone left in an orderly fashion," fire spokeswoman Alexis West said. She said nobody was hurt.