Table Rock Road x 1-5 - That is way NORTH of Downtown Medford. The wind is spotting this thing all over the place. Reports of 30 ft. high flame lengths in high winds. They’re advising they just cannot get this.
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Most everything is not watered this year with the drought and cut back from commercial hemp productions. Many fields are all dead grass, and orchards that have been cut down due to disease. Some plots are watered, most are minimal with dead fines. The whole valley is a checkerboard of receptive fuel and residential neighborhoods. On year 32 here, second year on the keyboard sidelines. Winds are kicking back up again here in Ashland .
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30 foot flame lengths along the I5, Requesting more resources.
30’ flame lengths on the freeway NB. Fire is spotting into the center divide. IC requested that I-5 NB be closed at the 30
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Yeah. He just said “moving north toward central point”. 
Really taking off. Already north of the green belt and hitting I-5. And backing up to Midway road.
Holy Crap! “I gotta go get people out of MY house, this thing is throwing embers into my neighborhood”
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Thanks. I live an hour away. Just painful to see.
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Toned out structure fire for Cascade Christian High School. Medford. Sounds like the devices inside the buildings are picking up impact of the Table Rock Rd. x 1-5 fire. UPDATE: Unit on scene reporting school not on fire. Appears auto-dispatch on smoker acts.
We are listening to some very hard decisions being made here. Really feel for the Command Staff and all the over taxed crews. Very cool and professional. A very hard voice to keep up in this kind of thing, but its what leaders do.
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I think that was one of the Police units.
Fire units reposition in south Medford to Table Rock. “Will sacrifice San George Estates and Glenwood Estates.”
Everyone, let’s please hold off on any discussion with respect to an IMT being or potentially being assigned. ODF does have IMT’s and if they feel one is warranted or available they will assign. For now, let’s please focus the discussion towards the events at hand.
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The evacuation point is the Expo. The fairgrounds. Look for a number online or call the Sheriff’s Office. They are pretty busy right now, but they can direct you.
Somewhat related: PG&E has currently started PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutoff) now in-progress for a wide swath of Northern California due to high winds also occurring South of the Oregon/California border. See link for the mapped area involved: https://pgealerts.alerts.pge.com/outages/map/
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Hopefully de-energizing the PGE grid in that part of the state will help out north of the border. That spot forecast that was just issued, doesn’t look good for these folks. Anything will help.
Expo Fairgrounds Medford Evacuation Site Is Full.
ODOT Southwest wants people to know that Alameda (Valley) Fire evacuation site, The Jackson Co. Expo, IS NOT being evacuated. It is full.
People seeking shelter should go to the Josephine Co. Fairgrounds on Redwood Highway in Grants Pass.
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KOBI5-TV (ABC) Live webcam has resumed broadcasting. Stunning video scenes. Check this link: https://kobi5.com/news/fire-in-ashland-triggers-evacuations-136194/
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Acreage estimates as of 11PM PDT for multiple Southern Oregon fires:
#TwoFourTwoFire (10,000 acres near Chiloquin) -
#AlmedaFire (following I-5 between Medford/Ashland) -
#SouthObenchainFire (8,000 acres east of Eagle Point) -
#SlaterFire (22,000 acres in Happy Camp) -
#BrattainFire (Lake County) -
Overnight -
Update as of 9/9 - 1:50AM: The Oregon State Fire Marshal Team has arrived on scene and will be transitioning to relieve local resources as crews continue to fight the Almeda Fire.
A northern Oregon task force has arrived with them to supplement efforts to contain and control the fire.
ODOT is reporting that I5 is open in both directions.
With overnight recoveries minimal, today’s Low RH, forecast winds and daytime temps will present a real tough road.
0617 - The Expo has room for some evacuees. They are working on a shuttle system to Grants Pass.
Expect things to back up. A fire has started in O’Brien. ODOT is closing 199 from MM20 to the CA/OR border. OSP units are enroute.
Overnight update from Oregon Wildfires Dashboard -
ALMEDA DRIVE INCIDENT
Type: Wildfire
Discovery Date: 9/8/2020, 11:35 AM
Acres Burned: 3,000
Percent Contained: 0%
IMT Organization: Type 3 IC
Total Incident Personnel: 226
Residences Destroyed: 600
Other Structures Destroyed: 100
Last Update: 9/9/2020, 12:42 AM