Fire Stories Intro from The Historicale

 The Almeda Fire — Evacuation Stories

by Myke 

note: this article appears as the lead story in the December 2020 issue of the Talent Historical Society Newsletter, The Historicale

    On September 8, 2020, the toxic combination of single digit humidity and erratic, high gusty winds pushed a wildfire through the Bear Creek Greenway from Almeda Drive in north Ashland, through Talent and Phoenix, and into the outskirts of Medford, leaving a 9-mile-long path of destruction. The blaze grew quickly spewing out windblown embers over the fire lines, overwhelming the fire fighter’s best efforts. Evacuation was hectic.

    Ultimately 2,800 structures were destroyed, three-quarters of which were manufactured homes in a dozen mobile home parks that line Pacific Hwy. 99 and Interstate 5.  Later investigation discovered a second point of origin in Phoenix which may explain the increased fire presence there.  Because the fires traveled along the main highways, many businesses were also lost. As far as can be determined, there were only four deaths from the fire. Quite amazing.

    As the blaze pushed through to the homes on the south side of Talent, the fire fighters, who were also battling low resources (water, manpower), used Talent Avenue as a break, attempting to keep the flames from consuming the west side of town. Sadly, it was too late for the neighborhoods east of Talent’s main street who were in a direct path of the fire. I live on Talent Avenue across from those many blocks of burned down homes. I can see the traffic a ½ mile away on Hwy. 99 at night, directly through what trees remain.

    When I first moved to Talent 3½ years ago one of the things about the town that I fell in love with was how many vintage and old homes remained - most of them in seemingly excellent repair. Hanscom Hall was right down the street from me, and it was a used bookstore, heaven! Right next door, Malmgren Garage was a beautifully restored Auto Repair Shop, now an Antique store. The wildfire took both of these buildings along with almost everything east of Talent Avenue up to Valley View Road in downtown Talent.