Updated 10:57 p.m.
KDRV Staff & Associated Press
September 21, 2009
ASHLAND, Ore. -- An evacuation order has been lifted for residents on the outskirts of South Ashland after a wind-driven grass and brush fire destroyed one home Monday and threatened many others.
ODF spokesman Lou Gugliotta says the winds have died down on the 100-acre Siskiyou Fire that burned above the SOU campus in the hills near Siskiyou Boulevard and Crowson Road, where officials recommended that residents of some 100 homes evacuate.
More then 125 firefighters worked to put out the flames. At the peak of the fire four air tankers, seven helicopters and multiple bulldozers. More then 20 engines from both Jackson and Josephine counties were called to help. A state strike team arrived on the Siskiyou Fire late Monday night to give crews a break. On Tuesday morning, ODF crews will take a helicopter up to get an aerial visual of the fires, and a briefing will be held around 6 a.m.
The city of Ashland has a wildfire hotline for people to call to get updates on the fire. It is 541-552-2490.
Gov. Ted Kulongoski invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act to allow local agencies to bring in extra urban firefighting teams to help.
As of right now these are the areas under evacuation:
The Jackson County Emergency Operations Center says residents will recieve an automatic phone call if there are more evacuations overnight. Crews will also go door to door to let people know.
The home that was lost was located near Tolman Creek Road and Green Meadows Way. Neighbors say no one was living in the home. They say it was a rental property and there haven't been any renters for about three months.
Bellview Elementary will be closed Tuesday. Ashland YMCA will be open Tuesday for drop off daycare.
The areas evacuated Monday included Toleman Creek Road between the 1240 and 3530 block, Morninglight Drive, all of Timberlake Drive, Timberlake Terrace, and Lupine Drive, everything south of Bellview Ave. including Black Oak Way, Sam Evan's Place and Green Meadows Way.
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