Community Resources: Fire Relief and Response
Mutual aid resources for community relief, helpful links for emergency response, and where to find information on current fires in the region.
The Almeda Fire has left a wake of devastation across large portions of southern Oregon’s Jackson County. Several members of KS Wild’s staff and board were among the thousands who were evacuated on Tuesday, when the fire began on the north side of Ashland and raced towards Medford along the Bear Creek Greenway.
The communities of Talent and Phoenix have especially been hit hard as neighborhoods and businesses have burned to the ground. The unhoused population that often finds respite along the Greenway has also been severely impacted. People are being asked to remain evacuated until containment is secured and power is restored, as firefighters and rescue workers continue to mitigate and assess the damage.
Rebuilding the Rogue Valley will be a collective effort, and KS Wild is committed to helping our community members and partners in need. At this time, KS Wild is encouraging individuals and families who are able to support direct relief efforts being organized across the Rogue Valley. Below you will find a listing of resources including ways you can help, how to stay up-to-date on current emergency situations, and links for information on fires and smoke in the region.
- Mutual Aid for Rogue Valley Communities:
- Emergency Response resources:
- Current Fires and Smoke Forecasts:
Mutual Aid for Rogue Valley Communities
In the wake of these emergencies, please consider donating basic essentials for those impacted by the fires. Recovery efforts will expand as needs arise, but for now please only contribute what’s listed below:
- Water bottles / jars
- Hand towels / disinfectant
- Masks
- Non-perishable food ready to eat
- Diapers
- Formula
- Blankets
- Sanitary towels / Tampons, other sanitary products
- Sleeping bags
- Tents
- Pet Foods
- Toilet paper
- Mobile Chargers
- First aid kit
- Bathroom Products
Collection and drop-off points for these items are located at:
- South Ashland - 770 Faith St
- North Ashland - 223 Maple St (look for the white mailbox)
- Medford – YMCA from 10:30-6:30PM
In addition to direct relief in the Valley, individuals and families can also help through making direct contributions to the following funds:
- Rogue Credit Union: Rogue Credit Union is supporting local families, communities and relief efforts affected by the Almeda/Glendower, Obenchain and other surrounding fires. Donations are tax deductible and will go to our local non-profits, designed specifically for assisting impacted families and rebuilding our communities. We will not be disbursing funds directly to individuals. Please contact the Red Cross, United Way, Access or other local organizations for request for assistance. Rogue will be matching donations dollar for dollar, up to $50,000.
- Rogue Valley Recovers: Connect directly with individuals asking for help, or request assitance at this link.
- Ashland Food Co-op: If you are looking for a way to help, or know others outside of the Rogue Valley looking to assist, donations can be made to the Co-op's Almeda/Glendower Fire Relief Fund. Click this link and you will see three donation options at the top of the page.
- Jackson County United Way
- For individuals or families who might have an advised fund with the Oregon Community Foundation, please consider reaching out to them directly as they are actively putting together options for Oregon Wildfire Recovery across the state.
First, if your family is advised to evacuate, please do so safely and quickly. Get organized and make a plan for your loved ones and pets. And, of course, if you must travel, keep aware of road closures from the Oregon Department of Transportation. Most importantly, listen to and take the advice of your local authorities to keep you — and them — safe.
Multnomah County has a useful omnibus fact sheet on smoke, wildfires, and keeping your family safe. Please visit it, bookmark it, and read up.
Finally, the office of Oregon's Governor Kate Brown has put together a resource page with helpful information to keep you and your loved ones safe.
Residents in Takilma, Cave Junction, and Gasquet (California) remain on high alert after the Slater Fire exploded to more than 100,000 acres and continues to burn through the Klamath and Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests. Updates from the Siskiyou County Sheriff's department can be found at this link.
Many communities are not in immediate danger from ongoing fires, but are still enduring hazardous air quality. Please keep up with the latest information on air quality from the Oregon DEQ's OregonAIR app, get information on the locations of ongoing fires, and learn more about health and air quality from the Oregon Health Authority.
To keep up to date with current fire and smoke conditions, you can always check out the KS Wild Fire dashboard. On Facebook, RyanWeather.com also provides a reliable feed of information on regional fires.
Stay safe out there.