Document text
51 °F 5 Day Forecast Wednesday, December 17, 2003 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | eSouthernOregon | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend October 29, 2003 Southern Oregon crews head to firelines By PAUL FATTIG Mail Tribune Some 300 contract firefighters from southwestern Oregon left Medford on Tuesday afternoon to battle wildfires raging out of control in California. Half a dozen local Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management "overhead" team members also have been dispatched to help manage the fight against the wildfires, which have killed 17 people, destroyed nearly 1,600 homes and burned more than half a million acres in Southern California. These members, all experienced at battling wildfires, will report directly to firefighters managing the blazes near Los Angeles and San Diego, including the Cedar Fire, said Mike Hannan, assistant manager of the Medford Fire Center. Burning in eastern San Diego County, the Cedar Fire is the largest in the state at more than 206,600 acres. Advertisement The management team members hail from the BLM’s Medford District and the Rogue River and Siskiyou national forests. Most of the 15 20-person contract crews were sent to a staging area in Redding, where they are expected to receive orders to head farther south to join the 10,000 firefighters already battling the blazes at the far end of the state. Two of the contract teams have been dispatched to a 1,500-acre fire in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Another two teams were sent to a fire in the Redwood National Park south of Crescent City. Their departure comes at a time when the local fire danger is expected to be dampened by a weather front moving into southwestern Oregon, Hannan said. "We’re looking pretty good with this weather event coming this week," Hannan said. "We’re expecting a little bit of rain, moister air overnight and daytime temperatures 10 to 20 degrees below normal." However, fire officials are urging local residents to continue to follow fire restrictions until the season is declared over. They hope another weather front moving in next week could be the knock-out punch for the local season, which normally ends in mid-October. Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times