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3 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 Playing with fire: Stalwarts wait it out at Diamond Lake as flames march closer ... Haggen to close stores in Grants Pass, Klamath Falls ... Medford men face conspiracy, assault charges in June 30 shooting ... Playing with fire: Stalwarts wait it out at Diamond Lake as flames march closer ... Haggen to close stores in Grants Pass, Klamath Falls ... Medford men face conspiracy, assault charges in June 30 shooting ... STOUTS FIRE Work crew inmate who walked away from Stouts fire arrested in Medford By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 13, 2015 @ 8:37 am Updated Aug 13, 2015 at 10:32 AM By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 13, 2015 @ 8:37 am Updated Aug 13, 2015 at 10:32 AM » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Medford police have caught up with an inmate who walked away from his work crew at the Stouts fire earlier this week. Kenneth Curtis Polchowski, 26, was arrested by Medford police at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Medford Railroad Park, about 60 miles away from where the fire started near Milo. He remains in the Jackson County Jail without bail on a hold for his escape, jail records show. He faces additional charges of providing false information to police and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.   Medford police Lt. Mike Budreau said an officer was called to Railroad Park for an unrelated disorderly conduct call Wednesday night when he spotted Polchowski nearby. "He immediately recognized him," Budreau said.  Budreau said police asked Polchowski for his name. Polchowski gave them a false one, but he was questioned further when he started pulling on wildland firefighting work boots he had taken off, Budreau said. “Then (he) admitted to who he was,” Budreau said.  Polchowski had been a prisoner at the Warner Creek Correctional Facility in Lakeview since January, convicted of identity theft, first-degree theft and first-degree burglary out of Lane County. He was reported missing at 6 a.m. Sunday after a routine head count by work crew staff.  He had been assigned to the Stouts fire mobile camp July 31, a day after the blaze exploded to a 6,000-acre inferno in a matter of hours. Fire officials announced today the fire appears to have been started by someone mowing grass during restricted hours. Investigators say Polchowski stole a 1977 Chevrolet pickup registered to a Canyonville resident. Central Point police recovered the vehicle Monday night while it was parked at the Holiday Inn Express on Peninger Road.  Department of Corrections officials have said inmates who work on fire crews must qualify for the work. They have to have good conduct while in prison and can't have convictions for violent crimes. The DOC website says outside work crews can come only from minimum security facilities, such as Warner Creek.  The blaze, now burning 16 miles east of Canyonville, has grown to nearly 24,000 acres and is 63 percent contained. Full containment is expected Aug. 22.  The largest wildfire in southwestern Oregon so far this year, it has sent a steady deluge of smoke into the Rogue Valley. The smoke affected air quality up and down Jackson County, poisoning the air in Shady Cove for two days straight earlier this month when levels dropped into the "hazardous" category, according to Oregon Department of Environmental Quality data. Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 13, 2015 @ 8:37 am Updated Aug 13, 2015 at 10:32 AM » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » 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 Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site 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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