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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Medford seeks volunteers for city boards 10 things to know for Tuesday Medford hunter's exotic collection goes on sale Since You Asked: Kids, like dogs, shouldn't be left in car Summer of 2014 among top 3 hottest Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency Services Blaze south of Prospect tops 2,200 acres Fire torches vacant home under renovation Community blog: Volunteerism=Stuart Skeele Emergency Services Politics and Elections Just one seat will be contested for Central Point council Gold Hill mayor faces challenger; other races have one candidate each Medford proposes new rules for pawn shops to help nab thieves Lack of incumbents, pot issue draws 10 for Medford council races Council members in Gold Hill dodge voter recall Education Back-to-school shopping can add up RCC program helps prepare Latinos for college SOU launches leadership degree program Medford charter school opens with many changes, including its name Superintendent welcomes staff to a new school year Environment Medford hunter's exotic collection goes on sale Elusive owls get new home in Cascades Judge won't block release of water Ashland marchers won't give up on climate change message OR-7 could be recollared next month State news Nation - World Obituaries Pearl May Walker James (Jim) Michael Giancarlo Janie Sparks Georgia A. Lind Shirley Helen Beal Roberts Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Sports Latest Stories Mike Barry caps off SOGC with thrilling conclusion Taormino captures SOGC junior/senior crown Dizzy in heat, Bouchard out of upset-heavy US Open Hamels, 3 Phils relievers combine to no-hit Braves Kirk rallies to win the Deutsche Bank Varsity 541 College Sports Ducks shift attention to Spartans Mariota, Oregon steamroll South Dakota SOU comes up short against Menlo 'It's about the win' for Oregon State SOU splits on final day of Merced tourney Pro Sports Mike Barry caps off SOGC with thrilling conclusion Taormino captures SOGC junior/senior crown Dizzy in heat, Bouchard out of upset-heavy US Open Hamels, 3 Phils relievers combine to no-hit Braves Kirk rallies to win the Deutsche Bank Community Sports Barry fires back into SOGC finals Super seniors strong at SOGC Crenshaw pulls off upset in SOGC Murphy claims victory in Stroke Play Championships South Korea downs Chicago for World Series title Business Latest Stories 1-800-Flowers.com buying Harry & David for $142.5 million Earlier than normal pear harvest coming up short of expectations Blog: Who Loves Coffee? We Do! People in Business New Mercedes-Benz dealer is luxury car fan Real Estate News Median residential housing prices rise 10.7 percent, but may begin to level out People In Business Transportation Agriculture 1-800-Flowers.com buying Harry & David for $142.5 million Earlier than normal pear harvest coming up short of expectations Weisinger's Winery has earliest crush on record Amy's Kitchen begins expansion in White City Opinion Latest Tiny homes, big ideas, a scarcity of information Letters to the Editor, Sept. 1 Catherine Rampell: The one fight to have before your wedding Letters to the Editor, Aug. 31 Charter schools prove to be option not obstacle Editorials Tiny homes, big ideas, a scarcity of information Charter schools prove to be option not obstacle Blistering lawsuit filed in Cover Oregon fiasco Other views: OLCC operates with little oversight Our View: A vote for common sense in Gold Hill Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Sept. 1 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 31 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 29 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 28 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 27 Guest Opinions Wilderness for Kalmiopsis has served us well The summer of my discontent: An open letter to Bill Rauch The power of local philanthropy Lifestyle Latest stories Mail Tribune 100 Backpacking is glorious in the "Oregon Alps" Hot tips for a cool (shade) garden 'Super-Agers' are coming fast Columnist for a Day: The collection-plate formula still works Food What does 'natural' really mean? Fielding labels in search for a good egg The focus is on hospitality at Jaxon Vineyards Community blog: Silky stew or quick saute is summer's symphony Community blog: Onion pickles can wait for home-canning lull Home and Garden Hot tips for a cool (shade) garden An August checklist for your garden Green Scene: Diagnosing common tomato troubles Lawn talk Tips for keeping backyard birds cool this summer Health 'Super-Agers' are coming fast Community blog: It happened again... Community blog: What the Brain Isn't - Mind or Love Community blog: The Unfriendly Skies (continued) Healthy Aging: Iron girls galore Hiking Faith Religion briefs Religion briefs Community Blog: Is Peace Possible in the Middle East - Part three of four Religion briefs Community Blog: Is Peace Possible in the Middle East part 2 Milestones and Achievements New Arrivals Engagements Wedding: Ivanov-Leftin New Arrivals Shayla Brooke Grether and Jesse Levi Tanner Columnist for a Day Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Bill Maher at Britt Festivals From business professor to artist Gypsy Soul performs at EdenVale Winery The Jeff Stanley Trio at Lounge South Alan Berman Trio at the Imperial Theater OSF presents 'The Alchemy of Gender' Randall Theatre extends 'Godspell' 'Pump Boys & Dinettes' opens at Camelot Theatre Film festival kicks off annual 'Daedalus Project' Music Brent Norton: A Rogue Valley Experience Bill Maher at Britt Festivals Gypsy Soul performs at EdenVale Winery The Jeff Stanley Trio at Lounge South Alan Berman Trio at the Imperial Community Events 5 Things to Do This Weekend From business professor to artist Shady Cove Tie Days Swap Meet 'Prints From the Plateau' at the Rogue Gallery Nature Walks in Lithia Park Dining Wild River Brewing & Pizza Co. NW Raw Kelly's Crepes Basil & Berries Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW 1-800-Flowers.com buying Harry & David for $142.5 million ... 10 things to know for Tuesday ... Get Up & Go: Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014 ... 1-800-Flowers.com buying Harry & David for $142.5 million ... 10 things to know for Tuesday ... Get Up & Go: Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014 ... FIRE-FIGHTING FORCE Giant air tankers add to Medford's fire response Drivers passing the Rogue Valley International Medford Airport recently may have noticed some really big planes. By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Aug. 30, 2014 @ 2:00 am By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Aug. 30, 2014 @ 2:00 am » Social News Drivers passing the Rogue Valley International Medford Airport recently may have noticed some really big planes. Two DC-10s, the largest firefighting air tankers flying in the nation, have been using an upgraded air tanker capability there to fight fires in the region. Medford is the only place in Oregon that can reload the DC-10s, with a portable base for what the agencies call “Very Large Air Tankers.” That, combined with the main base already in place, gives Medford more initial attack capability than ever before.  Those bases have already provided about 500,000 gallons of fire retardant this fire season, more than twice the 235,000 average for an entire fire season out of Medford, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The DC-10s can lay a swath of red fire retardant a mile long and 300 feet wide. That helps keep a fire in check while firefighters on the ground build containment lines. “They lay a much longer line and they get to the fire quicker, that’s got to be a positive,” said Lonnie Allison, tanker base manager. “With two of those running, every time they drop, that’s two miles of line.” The planes also carry 11,600 gallons of retardant, four times as much as the next-largest tankers, known as Next Generation. They also can fly at speeds of up to 563 mph, compared to 346 mph for the Next Generation tankers. On Monday, the two DC-10s were flying to and from the Happy Camp Complex south of Grants Pass in California’s Klamath National Forest. It has burned 20,253 acres and is 20 percent contained. The planes, first used buy the U.S. Forest Service in 2011, have also battled the July Complex farther south, which has burned 36,000 acres, and the Oregon Gulch Fire which burned over 30,000 acres along the California-Oregon border east of Ashland. Allison said the two DC-10s were diverted south to a fire near Yosemite National Park on Tuesday, as smoke along the northern California fires made flying impossible. Two other tankers were grounded in Medford, he said. Because the portable base for the large tankers can handle all types of air tankers, Medford essentially has two tanker bases this summer. On Aug. 9, the two bases provided 90,000 gallons of retardant for two large fires, 40,000 gallons and 21 loads from the regular base, and 50,000 gallons and seven loads from the portable VLAT base. On Aug. 11 the two bases cranked out 90,000 gallons for one fire, the Rogue River Drive Fire that threatened numerous homes near Shady Cove. “The pilots coming back said they saved homes on that one,” said Virginia Gibbons, spokesperson for the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. “They were pounding it.”     By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Aug. 30, 2014 @ 2:00 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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