Lightning puts out lights, sparks fires

Published 6:00 pm Wednesday, August 24, 2022

ENTERPRISE — Lightning-caused fires and power outages resulted when a late-afternoon lightning and thunder storm rolled across Wallowa County on Wednesday, Aug. 24.

The Wallowa County Dispatch Center said there are numerous reports of fires from the lightning strike, but the dispatcher could not take time to give details.

PP&L said 1,143 customers on the south side of Enterprise and 870 Joseph customers lost power from lines damaged by the lightning strikes.

An email to customers at 4:48 p.m. stated that the power would be restored in Enterprise by 8:30 p.m. but it came on by 5:55 p.m. PP&L said Joseph lights would be back on by 7:30 p.m.