ODF Southwest Dist. on the look out for fires from their detection center

MEDFORD, Ore. — The Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest District is keeping an eye on the passing storm from their detection center.

ODF says 3 staff members monitor cameras in the detection center.

The center focuses on locating any potential smoke from fires that may start in rural areas.

It says one potential smoke signal today, turned out to be fog or mist from the storm.

“Around 2 o’clock this afternoon we got our first strike on the district, and from that point on we’ve been monitoring for those both from dispatch and our detection center,” said Natalie Weber with ODF.

Weber says the Dept. of Forestry is looking into hiring a 4th person to help monitor in the center next month.

She says people are coming in early tomorrow to keep an eye out following the storms.