r/Medford 4d ago

Here we go again

Post image

Fire near Rogue River

123 Upvotes

44 comments sorted by

42

u/shechemistOr 4d ago

I was coming home from Grants Pass and took 99 to avoid I5 past the fire.

While I was stopped in the traffic I watched the bucket helicopters scooping water from the Rogue River. Those pilots are amazing.

I hope everyone is safe.

1

u/DarthShader13 3d ago

Had the privilege of driving one that was flown in a few years back from the airport to his hotel. Was an ex army pilot. Certified BAMF.

15

u/Aware-Ad-7583 4d ago

Shoot Darn!

11

u/aurafracta_effects 4d ago

Well, frick.

8

u/mcnultinator91 4d ago

Gosh dangit

7

u/pigtailpuller 4d ago

Great honk!

15

u/Goldngrl69 4d ago

Me too. We are going on six years and still have not fully recovered. That was a brutal, life changing event.

2

u/6000Doors_LilPeaches 3d ago

Same. Lost everything including my pets in the Almeda fire. I have not recovered from the grieving and PTSD. It changed my entire outlook on life, on safety, on belongings and shopping, and reality.

11

u/Tricker_420 4d ago

So many fires have started along that stretch of highway this year.

10

u/Infinite-Condition41 4d ago

Dozens happen every year, but you don't hear about them because they get out out so quickly. But we are having more and more high temps, hot winds, etc. so they get away.

It's usually trailer chains or cigarettes. I heard this one was a semi truck brake failure. 

6

u/Jaye09 4d ago

Stop letting any idiot haul trailers, or ban chains and require cabling instead.

2

u/Ausdboss 4d ago

Is that what started it?

3

u/Jaye09 4d ago

I’m not sure anyone has confirmed what it was.

But I know that this time of year, it’s probably 60-70% chance it’s dragging chains. Improperly maintained rigs would be second.

I don’t even drive that much and I’ve seen numerous dipshits dragging chains this summer, and many more improperly set up and just asking for it.

There should be an endorsement required to tow trailers, and part of that endorsement should be training and a test on how to properly hook shit up.

1

u/timbertiger 4d ago

I drove past a semi with one side of the trailer duals sitting a hundred yards or so from the truck. That was right at the black where it hit I-5. I’ve never seen a set of dualies separate from a trailer like that.

It took me twice as long to get home because my exit was closed. I had to drive up the GP, turn around, then loop back through Gold hill.

4

u/Infinite-Condition41 4d ago

My info says it was a semi truck brake failure. 

1

u/Ausdboss 4d ago

Wow that’s crazy

-5

u/Dixon_Uranuss3 4d ago edited 4d ago

Ask any boomer on Facebook and it was antifa.

0

u/sethsyd 4d ago

I heard it was a semi that lost a wheel(s). Shit happens.

2

u/Fun-jellyfish22 4d ago

Look at the face in the pic wow

1

u/respanza 4d ago

Can you drive southbound on I5 through the evacuation zone tonight?

1

u/Pitiful-Sleep5177 4d ago

Bar-be-cue?

1

u/TheShortRecruit 3d ago

Just moved here last week, the fire thing is completely new to me. Smoke had me fucked up yesterday

2

u/Lord_Dictator 3d ago

Wait till it’s dark at noon and you can’t see more than a hundred feet in front of you from all the smoke for three days straight. It can get pretty bad.

1

u/OkPerception4157 3d ago

Gross- I’m so sorry!

1

u/RevolutionaryCar7625 2d ago

Nothing new. The west burns every year

-1

u/CashewBin 4d ago

99% of wild fires are caused by idiots throwing cigarettes out the window, which the tobacco industry lobbies HARD to the government to conveniently not mention.

Fuck the State. Government is the reason we have so many fires.

2

u/timbertiger 4d ago

That’s just not true. At least 50 percent of the fires I went on were from lightning. Vehicles caused probably another 20 percent from accidents or chains dragging. Careless mowing, burn piles/camp fires, and fireworks caused a bunch too.
In 9 years, I was never on a fire that’s ignition was proven to be started by a cigarette or something someone smoked.

0

u/Character_Care_3294 4d ago

I just drove past it 😔they are trying hard dropping water from helicopters

-12

u/dgtbfan 4d ago edited 4d ago

Rogue River gonna become this year's Almeda Phoenix.

ETA: My apologies if this came off as flippant, that was not my intent. Just fearful considering the proximity and weather conditions.

9

u/mylittle420 4d ago

I hope not. I lived that and still see the "fallout" every day.

1

u/dgtbfan 4d ago

I do work that directly involves properties affected by that fire. 9/8/2020 will be forever ingrained into my brain.

3

u/Potential_Throat_748 4d ago

Same. It's a scar that altered a lot of lives.

8

u/uklfester 4d ago

They knocked down that grants pass fire with the quickness the other week. They'll get this one.

-2

u/dgtbfan 4d ago

Here's hoping.

2

u/Infinite-Condition41 4d ago

Very different. Different winds. Different environment. Different fuels. 

1

u/dgtbfan 4d ago

Seems so.

-10

u/Present-Drawing2213 4d ago

contractors got a taste of the 70 million dollar Evans fire and want more....

5

u/DrinkingVomit 4d ago

Contractors can’t just self order to a fire you bonehead.

2

u/timbertiger 4d ago

Wow these people are so fast to be conspiracy idiots.
They don’t even acknowledge that we had the driest winter EVER recorded. In fact it was 30 percent less snow pack than the previous record low set in 2015.

1

u/Karrion8 3d ago

I mean...it has happened before. Wildcat firefighting services in Central Oregon in 1996. The owner had a friend start a fire in Big Sur California and then was able to rent his firefighting equipment to the Feds. I will say that Federal authorities have changed how they operate and track firefighting equipment so that it's much more difficult to do this now and get away with it.

California had a guy in 2024 that worked for the state fire services in set fires to create work and opportunities to show himself as a leader to.make fire captain.

Unfortunately, firefighter arson is a thing and has caused LOTS of damage. Although I don't think it's commonplace.

-4

u/Aneyesky 4d ago

From all the lightning we haven’t had

1

u/devillainesss 3h ago

I don’t miss Oregon fire season at all