SFGATE: Thousands evacuated as fires burn through Oregon

Thousands evacuated as fires burn through Oregon
Published on September 09, 2020 at 04:09PM by Timothy Bella, The Washington Post

As wildfires stretching for thousands of acres ripped through southwestern Oregon late Tuesday, the state's governor declared an emergency and tens of thousands of residents faced mandatory evacuation orders to escape the Almeda Fire, the latest blaze to devastate the region in recent days.

By early Wednesday, the fire was burning its way toward the central neighborhoods of Medford, Ore., a city of 82,000 people, where many have now been forced to flee their homes.

"Pray for Medford," tweeted resident Jeff Carpenter. "We are on fire tonight."

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown's emergency order for Jackson County, which includes Medford, came after the National Weather Service placed all of southwestern Oregon an under an extreme fire danger warning for the first time, according to the Oregon Climate Office. Brown, D, had declared emergencies for three other blazes - the Beachie Creek, Lionshead, and Holiday Farm fires - earlier Tuesday.

Pointing to winds with 25 mph gusts as the catalyst for fueling the fires, the governor, in a news conference, described the weather contributing to the wildfires as "a once-in-a-generation event."

"People's homes, lives & land are at risk," Brown tweeted. "If you are in an evacuation area, please pay close attention & listen to local calls to evacuate - this can save your life & the lives of our firefighters."

Authorities haven't released new information on structural damage or potential injuries in the area.

The Oregon Department of Forestry estimated that the Almeda Fire has now burned 2,500 to 3,000 acres. As of late Tuesday, the fire was at zero percent containment, according to Jackson County Emergency Management.

Also referred to as the Glendower Fire, the blaze started as a brush fire about 14 miles away around Ashland, Ore.,...