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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 Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Respected Medford firefighter's life cut short by 2010 Oak Knoll fire ... John Thiry, from Oak Knoll to today ... Taking it to the top ... Respected Medford firefighter's life cut short by 2010 Oak Knoll fire ... John Thiry, from Oak Knoll to today ... Taking it to the top ... Selma wildfire burns three houses Local transient arrested for allegedly starting the blaze Comment By Shaun Hall Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Shaun Hall Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Aug. 13, 2016 at 4:25 PM Updated Aug 13, 2016 at 5:02 PM By Shaun Hall Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Aug. 13, 2016 at 4:25 PM Updated Aug 13, 2016 at 5:02 PM --> Donations sought for family of 6 who lost home A family has been left with nothing after their home burned to the ground in the Selma wildfire that broke out Friday afternoon... » Read more X Donations sought for family of 6 who lost home A family has been left with nothing after their home burned to the ground in the Selma wildfire that broke out Friday afternoon. Erik and Vicky Tucker and their four daughters are in need of clothes, shoes and toiletries. Rogue Valley Retirement, where Erik Tucker works as a chef, is accepting donations for the family. All donations can be dropped off at the retirement center, 1001 N.E. A St., in Grants Pass. The family is currently living with a family member. » Social News SELMA — One minute, fire was on the west side of the Redwood Highway and the next it had jumped the road and raced east, past Ray's Food Place, says Danny Lindell, a manager at the market. "The next thing we know, our parking lot's on fire," Lindell said Saturday morning, following Friday afternoon's wildland, wind-driven fire that charred about 50 acres, destroyed three nearby homes and burned numerous outbuildings. Part of the Ray's lot is grass — or was. "Fire goes quick," Lindell said. "Blink of an eye." Crews were mopping up Saturday morning, as fire helicopters flew overhead. Smoke rose from charred remains, and a smear of smoky haze hung over Deer Creek Valley. No one was hurt. "It was extreme fire behavior," Illinois Valley Fire District Chief Dennis Hoke said Saturday morning, at his department's Selma fire station. "There was some crowning. It was impressive." Fire crews from near and far, the chief said, "did one hell of a job. We could have lost a lot more structures." About 60 firefighters were on scene Saturday morning, including one Illinois Fire District truck driver parked at Ray's. "I hauled water until 1 o'clock," said the driver, who declined to give his name. "I was back here at 5." A makeshift sign nearby, along Deer Creek Road, said, "Thank you for saving Selma." About 100 feet away along the road, Cory Krauss, Josephine County's Search and Rescue coordinator, manned a roadblock. Krauss said the scene Friday was "the normally chaotic scene at the beginning." Residents wanted to come and go, he said, and fire trucks needed to move about. Computer-generated alerts had gone to nearly 400 area residents Friday to evacuate or otherwise be aware of the fire, Krauss said. People who want to get such alerts via cellphone can sign up with the Sheriff's Office. Traffic was backed up for miles Friday, to the top of Hayes Hill on the north, according to Krauss. Fire/rescue crews came from as far away as Jackson County, while airplane tankers and helicopters made drops. The fire erupted about 4 p.m. Efforts continued Saturday morning to douse hot spots. "We're making headway," Hoke said. "We're trying to hit everything hard while the humidity's still high." On Saturday afternoon, Oregon State Police said they arrested Marcus A. Yeoman, 35, described by police as a Selma-area transient. Investigators from the Oregon State Police Arson Unit and Oregon Department of Forestry said they determined the fire was human-caused, and that Yeoman had built a campfire that led to the fire. Yeoman was arrested on an outstanding warrant and later cited for reckless burning, police said. He was lodged Saturday in the Josephine County Jail. Reach reporter Shaun Hall at 541-474-3722 or [email protected]. By Shaun Hall Grants Pass Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Shaun Hall Grants Pass Daily Courier Posted Aug. 13, 2016 at 4:25 PM Updated Aug 13, 2016 at 5:02 PM » 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. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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