Meteorologists issued a fire weather watch for Central Oregon for this afternoon, when thunderstorms could move through the area.

Highs are expected to remain in the low 80s today, with partly cloudy skies and light wind, according to the National Weather Service in Pendleton.

The potential for lightning prompted the alert, according to the Weather Service. Thunderstorms could also bring gusty winds that can whip up fires.

The alert comes after firefighters on Saturday fully contained the Woodside Ranch Fire southeast of Bend according to Brad Goff, a dispatcher at Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center.

Goff said a skeleton crew was going to patrol the fire overnight, and a few engines are expected to mop up hot spots within the interior of the fire today.

The 596-acre blaze, which ignited around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday and sent up an enormous plume of smoke, has only smoldered since.

“It wrapped up pretty fast, which is good because we’re expecting thunderstorms possibly tomorrow,” Goff said Saturday.

Jerry Barney, floor supervisor for the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center, said Woodside Ranch has been very quiet.

“All the activity with ongoing fires is elsewhere,” he said.

Both Barney and Goff said they did not know of any developments into the investigation of the cause of the fire.

Although the fire ignited roughly one mile south of the Woodside Ranch subdivision on Bend’s southeast border, favorable winds pushed the flames away from homes and power lines. No structures were damaged before the fire was contained.

“It went very well,” Goff said. “One thing that helped us was it was so close to Bend. Resources were quite close and available. Initial attack time was very short.”

China Hat Road where it turns into the 18 Road and part of Horse Butte Road, also known as Forest Road 1815, remained closed, Goff said.

The Biddle Pass Fire, one of the fires within the Warm Springs Agency Lightning Complex, continued to send up smoke that settled over Jefferson County on Saturday evening. Drivers heading over Santiam Pass may have seen the smoke, officials at COID said.

The Shelton Fire continues to burn on private land roughly 10 miles southeast of Fossil.

The 2,700-acre fire has burned one home and five outbuildings, according to a news release from the Oregon Department of Forestry. Some homes in the area have reported power outages.

More than 500 personnel are battling the blaze, the release reported.

State Highway 19 remains closed between Butte Creek Summit and Service Creek. Shelton County Wayside Park was evacuated and also remains closed.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A new fire broke out roughly 25 miles southeast of Ukiah and northeast of John Day, according to a news release from officials at the Umatilla National Forest.

The 600-acre blaze, named the Trout Meadows Fire, is burning on both national forest and private land.

It appears to be a holdover fire sparked by lightning in late July, according to the release.

Three air tankers and smokejumpers are among the resources battling the blaze.