Fire crews began fighting the Marion Fire in the Willamette National Forest on Saturday, but the lightning that sparked the wildfire struck during a storm 10 days earlier, according to Joanie Schmidgall, spokeswoman with the Willamette National Forest.

The fire, which was reported Saturday afternoon, has burned 120 acres in trees and brush near Marion Lake in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness. A Willamette National Forest release reported 90 percent containment Tuesday. Two hotshot crews and three Type 2 hand crews of about 120 people were working the fire, according to Schmidgall, and none of the closed trails had opened as of Tuesday afternoon.

Schmidgall said the National Interagency Fire Center runs weather stations that detect lightning strike locations, times, dates and temperatures in the area.

Crews working at the Marion Fire found evidence of a tree struck by lightning, and when fire managers checked a Web map, they saw lightning had been recorded in that area July 8, after 6 p.m., Schmidgall said.

Though it may seem odd no sign of fire was reported until 10 days later, Schmidgall said she wasn’t too surprised.

“To us, it’s really not that unusual,” said Schmidgall, explaining that how quickly a fire spreads depends on how it started. And if it’s not spreading quickly, it may go unnoticed at first.

In this case, Schmidgall explained, it likely wasn’t a big ball of fire from the beginning.

“People have this idea that lightning strikes, there’s a big explosion and the fire starts, but it’s not always like that,” Schmidgall said.

Enough rain, cool weather and trees with green wood will keep a fire from burning rapidly. These are all conditions that have existed west of the Cascades recently, Schmidgall said.

One thing Schmidgall doesn’t suspect? That people saw the fire and ignored it.

“We are in high fire danger; people are pretty vigilant right now,” Schmidgall said. “I’m thinking people just didn’t see it.”

— Reporter: 541-383-0325, kfisicaro@bendbulletin.com