Unusual Winter Wildfires in Northwest Oregon

http://www.weather.com/news/news/oregon-wildfire-winter-january-20140125

A pair of fires flared up along in the Oregon coastal range east of the town of Arch Cape, about 70 miles west-northwest of Portland on January 23. Fanned by winds estimated at 70 mph, the flames had burned around 120 acres as of January 24, according to a story by KGW News Channel 8 in Portland.

Wet Winter? Not in 2013-2014!

The coastal ranges of northwest Oregon are among the most reliably wet locations in the Lower 48 states during the winter months.
The graph at left shows average January precipitation and days with measurable precipitation at nearby Seaside, Ore. As you can see, two-thirds of January days typically have at least measurable precipitation. At least one inch of precipitation typically drenches the area 3-4 days each January.
By contrast, January 2014's precipitation is a small fraction of the monthly average. This precipitation deficit stretches back to fall, as well.