KRRM - Local News

ODF Firefighters on SW District Prepare for Hot Weather and Increased Fire Activity

Resources from Oregon Department of Forestry Complex Incident Management Team 3 and ODF's Southwest District continued to make progress last night with good overnight recovery of temperatures and humidities. But with temperatures increasing, today's focus will be holding the progress and expanding on success. ODF Team 3 is managing a group of lightning fires dubbed the Grizzly Complex as well as the Neil Creek Road Fire west of Interstate 5 near Ashland. Local crews continue suppression efforts on additional fires sparked by lightning along with initial attacks on new fire starts in Jackson and Josephine counties. More than 1,300 personnel are assigned to the fires, with more arriving today. On the Neil Creek Road Fire, crews completed additional direct line and continued mop-up operations across the whole perimeter. With updated mapping, the incident is now estimated to be 200 acres. A Level 2 "Be Set" evacuation notice remains in place for area residents and one lane of southbound I-5 is closed between mileposts 8.5 and 10.5. The Deming Gulch Fire northeast of Buncom is currently estimated to be 250 acres while the Heppsie Mountain Fire near Lake Creek has increased to 50 acres. The nearby Poole Hill Fire increased slightly to 12 acres. The North Fork Deer Creek Fire in the hills east of Selma was holding at 42 acres, the Jim Me Peak Fire south of Applegate was estimated to be 70 acres, the Palmer Peak Fire southeast of the Jim Me Peak Fire was holding at 90 acres and the Benson Gulch Fire west of Buncom was fully-lined at 13 acres. No size estimates were provided for the Sulfur Springs Fire south of Buncom or the Holcomb Peak Fire southwest of Williams. The use of aircraft continues to be a critical asset, with 20 helicopters and fixed-wing planes flying today.

Posted on 7/11/25 11:51AM by Sam Marsh

USFS Resources Work Toward Containment on Multiple Incidents Across Forest

US Forest Service crews have made significant progress toward containment of more than 20 new naturally-caused fires that have been located since widespread lightning storms passed through Southern Oregon on Monday. Reconnaissance is ongoing to locate any new starts across the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Nine fires are now in containment status and an additional 10 are now 100% lined. Large air tankers, scooper planes and helicopter bucket drops are working on the remaining incidents. Rappellers, smokejumpers, hot shot crews, Type 2 initial attack crews, 20-person hand crews, engines, water tenders and bulldozers across the Forest -- including agency and contract resources -- remain engaged on the active fires. In the Siskiyou Mountains Ranger District, the Kinney Fire southwest of Ruch is 51 acres, the Waters Fire near McKee Bridge is approximately 30 acres, the Hanley Fire south of Ruch is eight acres and the Baldy Fire south of Ruch is three acres. The Lower Fire near Grayback Mountain, the Alex Fire southeast of Copper, the Ash Flats Fire east of Copper, the Grayback Fire east of Applegate Lake and the Deadman Fire southwest of Ashland are all one acre or less. Four other fires have been contained. In the High Cascades Ranger District, the Soda Fire southeast of Eagle Point is 60 acres, the Latgawa Fire northeast of Ashland is 15 acres and the Kerby Fire east of Prospect is around six acres. The Swamp Fire is contained. In the Wild Rivers Ranger District, the Sugarloaf Fire and the Buckskin Fire are contained while the Page Fire is out.

Posted on 7/11/25 11:49AM by Sam Marsh

Deputies Jailed Woman for Trying to Assault Deputy in Illinois Valley Incident

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office jailed an Illinois Valley woman for trying to assault a deputy during an incident in the O'Brien area yesterday. The Sheriff's Office reports deputies eventually arrested 32-year-old Krisana Evelyn Soderlund in the 1500-block of Lone Mountain Road at 11:21 p.m. on Thursday. Few details about the incident were disclosed, but deputies said they were serving a warrant at that address when the incident occurred in front of two children. No injuries were reported. Soderlund was placed into custody, transported to Grants Pass and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Attempted Assault on a Peace Officer, Resisting Arrest and two counts of Reckless Endangering. She was being held without bail.

Posted on 7/11/25 11:48AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Jailed Man for Allegedly Assaulting another Man in Downtown Alley

Grants Pass Police incarcerated a man for allegedly assaulting another man in an alley in the downtown area early yesterday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 39-year-old Henry William Briney after the incident in the 400-block of NW D Street on Thursday at 12:23 a.m.. Police said they were alerted to a fight involving a husband, his wife and several other people in the alley at that address. Upon arrival, officers contacted Briney and the married couple who were identified as "Joshua Jones" and "Samantha Jones." Briney and Joshua Jones admitted to being in a fight with both showing visible injuries. However, Jones' injuries appeared more significant and Briney admitted to starting the physical altercation. Jones was uncooperative and refused to answer questions or allow photos to be taken of his injuries. Briney was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for 4th-Degree Assault. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 7/11/25 11:47AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Arrested Unidentified Man for Causing Ruckus at Hellgate Excursions

Grants Pass Police arrested an unidentified man for causing a disturbance in the parking lot of Hellgate Jetboat Excursions yesterday. The Police Department reports officers responded to a trespassing complaint at the business in the 900-block of SW 6th Street on Thursday around 3:30 p.m.. Police said a Hellgate Excursions employee called 9-1-1 to report a male subject with two baseball caps on and holding a water glass with ice in it standing in their lot yelling at someone on the sidewalk. The worker wanted the man removed from the premises. Upon arrival, officers contacted the man who refused to identify himself. He was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia with methamphetamine residue on it before being placed into custody. The man -- who was listed in arrest records as "John Doe" -- was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Meth Possession and 2nd-Degree Criminal Trespass. He was being held without bail.

Posted on 7/11/25 11:46AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Assisted Corrections Officer with Arrest of Client for Drug Possession

Grants Pass Police assisted Josephine County Community Corrections with the arrest of a man for violating terms of his probation by possessing narcotics on Thursday. The Police Department reports officers arrested 31-year-old Mark Jeffrey Mislon near the corner of 7th and A streets at 11:44 a.m. yesterday. Police said Mislon's corrections officer contacted them after he found his client to be in possession of drug paraphernalia and a small amount of methamphetamine. Milson was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Meth Possession and Felony Probation Violation. He was being held on a no-bail detainer.

Posted on 7/11/25 11:44AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Snared Woman on Warrant for Stealing Mail near City Resting Site

Grants Pass Police arrested a woman on an outstanding warrant for stealing mail near a downtown resting site yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a report of a female subject who was on the porches of homes in the 700-block of NW 5th Street on Thursday at 11:25 a.m.. Police said they contacted 37-year-old Melissa Sue Koenig near the 5th and 6th Street resting sites after receiving reports that she was attempting to steal mail from residents in the area. She was already wanted on a Grants Pass felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Mail Theft. When one resident confronted her, Koenig reportedly told them she wasn't stealing anything and that people were stealing from her. Koenig was placed into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant. She was being held in lieu of posting $25,000 bail.

Posted on 7/11/25 11:43AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Jailed Man on Warrants after He Drank Alcohol at Gilbert Creek Park

Grants Pass Police arrested a man on two local warrants after he was reported to be drinking alcohol at a northwest city park yesterday. According to the Police Department, officers were alerted to the city ordinance violation at Gilbert Creek Park on NW Hawthorne Avenue at 2:22 p.m. Thursday. Police said 43-year-old Jason Lee Amundson was reported to be consuming an open alcoholic beverage at the park. They contacted him and discovered that he was wanted on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for 2nd-Degree Theft and a Jackson County warrant for failing to appear in court for Criminal Trespass. Amundson was also found to be in possession of a glass pipe that tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine. He was placed into custody. Amundson was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrants plus a new charge of Meth Possession. He was also trespassed from the park for 30 days.

Posted on 7/11/25 11:42AM by Sam Marsh

GP Police Nabbed Trio on Warrants for Drug Crimes at Baker Park on Thursday

Grants Pass Police arrested three people on outstanding warrants for drug crimes at Baker Park in separate incidents yesterday. On Thursday at 7:52 a.m., officers arrested 43-year-old Bobbie Jo Langdon on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for Possession of Fentanyl. On Thursday at 12:49 p.m., officers arrested 64-year-old William Ward Fleming, Jr., on a Grants Pass warrant for failing to appear in court for Methamphetamine Possession. On Thursday at 1:01 p.m., officers arrested 25-year-old Caitlin Caidence May Fossen on a Grants Pass felony warrant for failing to appear in court for Possession of Meth. Langdon, Fleming and Fossen were all lodged in jail on their warrants. All three were also issued 30-day park exclusions.

Posted on 7/11/25 11:40AM by Sam Marsh

RR-Siskiyou Forest Moves to High Fire Danger and Stage 2 Public Restrictions

As the weather continues to trend toward warming and drying, officials with the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest have decided to move into Stage 2 Public Use Restrictions, effective immediately. The fire danger rating on the local forest has moved to "high" and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level is now "2." According to the US Forest Service, high fire danger happens when all fine dead fuels ignite readily and fires start easily from any cause, unattended brush and campfires are likely to escape, fires spread rapidly and short-distance spotting is common, and fires may become serious and their control becomes difficult. Under Stage 2 Public Use Restrictions, campfires are restricted to forest-constructed fire rings or fireplaces in designated sites. Commercial campfires solely pressurized by liquid fuel or propane are allowed. Smudge pots, wood stoves and charcoal briquettes are not allowed. Smoking is restricted to enclosed vehicles, buildings, designated recreation sites, watercraft or areas of at least 3 feet in diameter that are cleared of all vegetation. Motorized vehicles are restricted to forest development roads, designated parking areas, and roads and trails identified as open to motorized travel. Firewood cutting must be done in compliance with the terms of the current year's Forest Removal Permit within the hours of 8 p.m. to 10 a.m. followed by a one-hour fire watch. Under IFPL 2, power saws, cable yarding, blasting and the welding or cutting of metal must be done between 8 p.m. and 1 p.m..

Posted on 7/11/25 6:43AM by Sam Marsh

BLM & USFS Now Banning Campfires on National Wild & Scenic Rogue River

With record-breaking heat and increasingly dry conditions, federal agencies are prohibiting campfire use on lands located with the boundaries of the National Wild and Scenic Rogue River. The Wild section of the Rogue flows from Grave Creek to the mouth of Watson Creek. Effective immediately, Stage 2 fire restrictions are in effect and building, maintaining, attending or use of a fire is not permitted. Commercially-produced pressurized liquid or gas stoves are allowed. Cooking areas are to be naturally free of vegetation. Each group in the wild section must have a shovel and a bucket. Smoking is only permitted while on watercraft on waterways, or on vegetation-free sand and gravel bars located between the river and the high water mark. The Medford BLM District administers the stretch of river between Grave Creek and Marial where the Oregon Department of Forestry provides primary attack for fire management. The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest manages from Marial downriver to the mouth of Watson Creek. Additional fire restrictions will be put in place as fire season progresses and they will remain in effect through November 30th, unless conditions allow them to be reduced or rescinded sooner.

Posted on 7/11/25 6:41AM by Sam Marsh

Grants Pass Police Collared Man on Statewide Warrant at Downtown Resting Site

Grants Pass Police apprehended a man wanted on a statewide felony warrant at a downtown resting site this week. The Police Department reports officers arrested 41-year-old Bobby Joe Swearingen at the NE 7th Street homeless encampment on Wednesday morning. Police said they spotted Swearingen during a patrol check and were aware that he was wanted on an Oregon State warrant for Parole Violation stemming from a 2022 conviction for Unlawful Use of a Weapon. According to the report, Swearingen tried to run away from officers and briefly scuffled with them before he was placed into custody. He sustained some scrapes during the incident, but refused medical attention. Swearingen was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on the warrant plus a new charge of Attempted Escape. He was being held on a no-bail detainer. He was also trespassed from the resting site for 30 days.

Posted on 7/11/25 6:40AM by Sam Marsh