Southern Oregon Wildfire Updates

What To Do Now If You Are A Southern Oregon University Student Impacted by Oregon’s Wildfires

LAST UPDATE: 5:59pm, PDT, 9 September 2020

On Tuesday, Sep. 8, the #GlendowerFire/#AlmedaDriveFire ignited in Ashland and driven by high winds, moved steadily north, devastating the neighboring communities of Talent and Phoenix, plus portions of south Medford. Combined with other wildfires in the region, especially the Obenchain fire in Eagle Point, this disaster will have enduring impacts on students, staff and faculty at Southern Oregon University.

Reliable information is hard to come by as the region wakes up to the aftermath of the first day of this fire, and risks continue as firefighters across the state battle the blazes. This post aggregates links to the best information and resources we can find to guide decision-making and recovery for members of our campus community.

Jackson County has deployed an interactive map of local evacuations

Before you do anything else, get to a safe location. Check for the evacuation status at your location. Red = Go Now, Yellow = Prepare To Leave.

Although conditions have improved in Ashland, Talent, Phoenix and Medford, risks remain across the Rogue Valley, and Level 3 evacuations continue on Wednesday afternoon in Eagle Point and Shady Cove.

@MedfordAlert is posting frequent updates on Twitter

Sign up for text or audio emergency updates from Jackson County

If you have been evacuated in Jackson County, Use This Online Form To Aid Family Reunification

Several Jackson County Library locations will open with free Internet & computer services

Shelter is available on SOU’s Ashland campus at Lithia Pavilion

MAP: 1465 Webster Street.

Shelter is also available at the Josephine County Fairgrounds in Grants Pass

MAP: 1451 Fairground Road

Many Jackson Country residents had also been sheltering at The Expo in Central Point, but it is currently under threat by another emerging fire, and subject to evacuation.

SOU Students Needing Support Should File A CARES Report

Request resources, donate or volunteer via the Rogue Valley Preparedness and Recovery Hub

Local Filmmaker Sergei Boutenko did a helpful YouTube drive-by of damage in Talent, Oregon

So you don’t have to:

We will update this post with more resources as they become available.

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Comm, Media & Cinema @ Southern Oregon University

Earn BA/BS Degrees and Certificates in Communication Studies, Social Media & Public Engagement, or Digital Cinema @SOUAshland. #ThatIsSOU