Fires sparked by lightning Sunday evening in Jefferson and Wasco counties triggered evacuations and the activation of state wildfire resources.

In Jefferson County, fire crews were working to contain the 2,700-acre Elk Lane Fire burning 7 miles northwest of Madras. Level 3—Go Now evacuations include northern areas of Lake Billy Chinook, according to the Oregon Department of Emergency Management.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s office posted on social media on Monday that trailers left at Simtustus RV Park can be accessed via U.S. Highway 26 and Pelton Dam Road. The sheriff’s office urged trailer owners to leave the area as quickly as possible.

The fire has burned into the Deschutes River Canyon but remains on the east side of the river. Air resources were expected to dip into Lake Simtustus for water all day, the sheriff’s office said.

The sheriff’s office also advised residents to avoid Belmont Lane and Elk Drive as the fire had crossed the north side of Elk Drive. High winds fanned the wildfire. The Red Cross set up an evacuation site at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds.

The fire prompted Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek to invoke the Emergency Conflagration Act, a decision that helps authorities mobilize resources for the fire. The act was approved by the state fire marshal on Monday.

Two task forces were pre-positioned in Central Oregon over the weekend, a strategic move that helped wildland firefighters quickly respond to the Elk Lane Fire. The fire was ignited by a large lightning storm that passed through the area on Sunday, according to the Oregon State Fire Marshal.

Further north, in Wasco County, the Bennett Fire has burned 400 acres near the city of Antelope, located 31 miles northeast of Madras. A Level 3—Go Now evacuation order was in place for the city of Antelope, which is home to around 40 people. The Shaniko Schoolhouse was designated a temporary shelter for those evacuating, according to the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office.

In other regional wildfires, the 64,288-acre Crazy Creek Fire burning 5 miles north of Paulina was 6% contained. The fire prompted the Ochoco National Forest to implement a forest closure for the Paulina Ranger District.

The fire also prompted mandatory evacuation orders for areas in Crook and Wheeler counties near the fire. Level 3 evacuations extended from the forest boundary to state Highway 380. Level 2—Be Set evacuations extended south of Highway 380.

The Ore Fire, burning 7 miles northeast of Blue River, has burned 1,766 acres and is 29% contained. The 490-acre Red Fire is 5 miles west of the Crescent Lake Junction and was zero percent contained.