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FBI Releases Statement on Misinformation Related to Wildfires

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FBI - Oregon FBI Portland and local law enforcement agencies have been receiving reports that extremists are responsible for setting wildfires in Oregon. With our state and local partners, the FBI has investigated several such reports and found them to be  untrue . Conspiracy theories and misinformation take valuable resources away local fire and police agencies working around the clock to bring these fires under control. Please help our entire community by only sharing validated information from official sources.

Josephine County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Threatening Mass Shooting at YouTube Headquaters

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U.S. Attorney's Office - District of Oregon   MEDFORD, Ore.—William Gregory Douglas, 38, of Cave Junction, Oregon, was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison today and three years’ supervised release for threatening to shoot YouTube employees at the company’s San Bruno, California headquarters after his account was removed for violating the video-sharing platform’s terms of service. According to court documents, sometime on or before August 22, 2018, YouTube removed Douglas’ video channel for violating the platform’s terms of service. In response, on August 23, 2018, Douglas posted five tweets threatening violence against YouTube employees. In one of the tweets, Douglas threatened a “bigger mass casualty” event, appearing to reference a prior shooting incident at YouTube’s headquarters in April 2018 that injured three employees. Later, on September 8, 2018, Douglas posted a tweet stating “Hey why do you guys keep ignoring me would it be better if I leave you with no other o

Douglas County Evening Wildfire Update 09/10/2020

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Douglas Co. Sheriff's Office DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore.  - The Archie Creek Fire Officials will be holding a live public meeting tomorrow, Friday, September 11, 2020 at 2:00 pm. This will be a live stream video information briefing regarding the fire affecting several of our communities. Please check the Archie Creek Fire information Facebook page for a link to the live video beginning at 1:55 PM. The briefing will begin at 2:00 PM As of the time of this press release, there are no new fire evacuations. Sheriff Hanlin is committed to providing evacuated residents with enhanced patrols of the evacuated areas. Deputies and Troopers from the Oregon State Police are patrolling residential areas in an effort to deter and detect criminal activities during the evacuation period. Residents who have video surveillance or cameras, should call and report any suspicious activity they observe so it can be investigated.  The Sheriff's Office has created a page on its website which contain

Marion County Sheriff's Office Wildfire Efforts Update

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Marion Co. Sheriff's Office 1. Current evacuation information for Marion County Level 3 "GO" Lyons Mehama Detroit Gates North Fork Area Breitenbush Scotts Mills Idahna Both sides of 214 north of Silver Falls State Park to Drakes Crossing. This includes Grade Road, Ridgecreek and Powers Creek Loop. Level 2 "BE READY" Stayton Sublimity Aumsville Silverton Cascade south of Abiqua Rd north of Silverton Anything south of Abiqua Rd To see current Marion County Evacuation Zones please visit:  http://bit.ly/MCEvacZones To see statewide evacuation zones visit Oregon Emergency Management, OEM please visit:  https://www.oregon.gov/oem/emops/Pages/RAPTOR.aspx 2. Community safety and security We want to remind everyone that there continues to be road closures and there is increased presence of patrol deputies in the evacuated areas to be available for search and rescue needs and to help prevent criminal behavior in the closu

Residents being asked to stay away from evacuated areas -- rumors of reentry are false

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Lane Co. Government Officials would like to remind residents that areas under a Level 3 Evacuation Notice, including the roads within those areas, are closed to the public. Rumors that people can return to the fire area along McKenzie Highway to check on homes or look for animals are incorrect. The closures are necessary to protect the safety of everyone. People who return to those areas are placing themselves at risk from fire, falling trees, downed power lines, debris, landslides and the other safety issues caused by wildfire. Unauthorized people can also cause delays in firefighting activity if they are in the way of firefighting equipment or if fire personnel end up needed to assist those unauthorized people. If people are part of an organized volunteer group for a community agency or organization, they should wait to be deployed through the appropriate channels for their own safety and to ensure they do not interfere with the fire response. Information about the curren

Fatal Crash on Hwy 58 - Lane County

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Oregon State Police  On Wednesday, September 9, 2020, at approximately 1:30 P.M., Oregon State Police Troopers and emergency personnel responded to a vehicle collision on Hwy 58 near milepost 60. Preliminary investigation revealed a PT Cruiser, operated by David Silkett (74) of Pahrump, NV. was eastbound when it went into the westbound lane and struck a Volvo Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) operated by Pavel Mokovey (57) of  Antelope, CA. Silkett and his passenger, Debra Edmonds (65) of Pahrump, NV. sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased.  Mokovey was not injured. Hwy 58 was closed for approximately 7 hours during the investigation and clean-up of spilled diesel. OSP was assisted by Oakridge Fire Department and ODOT.

False Reports of Antifa Arrests For Starting Fires

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Douglas County Sheriff's Office Remember when we said to follow official sources only. Remember when we said rumors make this already difficult incident even harder? Rumors spread just like wildfire and now our 9-1-1 dispatchers and professional staff are being overrun with requests for information and inquiries on an UNTRUE rumor that 6 Antifa members have been arrested for setting fires in DOUGLAS COUNTY, OREGON. THIS IS NOT TRUE! Unfortunately, people are spreading this rumor and it is causing problems. Do your part, STOP. SPREADING. RUMORS! Follow official sources of information such as local emergency response websites and pages, government websites and pages and local reputable news outlets. Please, share far and wide!

Douglas County Wildfire Update

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Douglas Co. Sheriff's Office DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore.  - As wildfires continue to burn throughout Douglas County, Sheriff Hanlin and his staff are working closely with County Commissioners and fire personnel in response to the emergency.  The Sheriff's Office has created a page on its website to which contains maps of the current evacuation zones. The maps attempt to provide a visual of the most current evacuation zones by showing roads and specific addresses in some cases. The maps can be found at  www.dcso.com/evacuations  and are updated as quickly as possible.  The following evacuations remain in place:  LEVEL 1 "BE READY" : Residents should be aware of the danger that exists in their area, monitor emergency services websites and local media outlets for information. This is the time for preparation and precautionary movement of persons with special needs, mobile property and (under certain circumstances) pets and livestock. If conditions worsen, emergency se

Response efforts hindered by people returning to Level 3 Evacuation zones

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Lane Co. Government Officials would like to remind residents that areas under a Level 3 Evacuation Notice, including the roads within those areas, are closed to the public. The closures are necessary to protect the safety of everyone. People who return to those areas are placing themselves at risk from fire, falling trees, downed power lines, debris, landslides and the other safety issues caused by wildfire. Unauthorized people can also cause delays in firefighting activity if they are in the way of firefighting equipment or if fire personnel end up needed to assist those unauthorized people. If people are part of an organized volunteer group for a community agency or organization, they should wait to be deployed through the appropriate channels for their own safety and to ensure they do not interfere with the fire response. Information about the current evacuation levels, including a searchable database of affected addresses, can be found at  www.lanecounty.org/mckenziefire.

Sheriff's Office Confirms First Fire Related Fatality; Urge Community Members to Follow Evacuation Orders

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Marion Co. Sheriff's Office Our hearts are heavy today in knowing that so many families in our communities have been affected by the fires of these last few days.   Earlier today, September 9th, 2020, search and rescue teams from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office initiated an operation on North Fork Rd east of the community of Mehama.  This particular mission was in response to reports of a missing teenager and his dog. During the search and rescue mission, the roadways encountered by searchers were impassable.  Deputies utilized a front end loader and worked with fire teams and utility crews to clear a path to gain access to the area. Tragically, when they arrived deputies discovered the remains of the first known victim to this fire.  Initial reports received indicated there were two victims located.  We have confirmed searchers from the Sheriff’s Office located one victim deceased in a vehicle along with the remains of an animal.  Based upon the location they were

Level 3 Evacuation Issued for Dry Creek

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Douglas Co. Sheriff's Office DRY CREEK, Ore.  - LEVEL 3 EVACUATION - GO! NOTICE NOW ORDERED FOR ALL HOMES LOCATED IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: ALL HOMES AND BUSINESSES LOCATED IN DRY CREEK; INCLUDING HAPPY CREEK, FELIX FLAT, ELK RIDGE AND ILLAHEE ROAD.  Level 3 or "GO!" means: • If you chose not to evacuate, emergency services may not be able to assist you further. • Grab your "go kit" and leave immediately. • Follow your evacuation plan and stay informed. Danger to the evacuated area is current and imminent and you should evacuate immediately. If you choose to ignore this advisement, you must understand that emergency services may not be available to assist you further. Do not delay leaving to gather any belongings or make efforts to protect your home. This will be the last message you receive. Residents may evacuate to the Douglas County Fairgrounds to seek assistance from the Red Cross. For more information about the Fire, please visit DFPA

Latest map from the Archie Creek Fire

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Douglas Forest Protective Association Latest map from the Archie Creek Fire puts it at 97,344 acres. We are still working with the structural protection group and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office to determine the status of homes / structures in the fire area. We understand everyone is anxious to learn the status of their property but we want to make sure we collect and distribute accurate information.

Star Mountain Fire and Archie Creek Fire

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Douglas Forest Protective Association The Star Mountain Fire and Archie Creek Fire have merged together as was expected to happen. Going forward, this incident will be known as the Archie Creek Fire. This morning, representatives from DFPA, the Umpqua National Forest and Roseburg BLM met with the incoming Incident Management Team to give them a briefing on the incident. Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 9 will assume command of the fire this evening.  The Public Information Officers with Team 9 will be setting up a Facebook Page, InciWeb page, and an information phone line dedicated to this incident. Once these platforms are created, we will make sure to share that information. Yesterday’s fire activity was explosive to say the least. As you will see from the map with this post, the fire is estimated to have burned 72,000 acres in roughly the first 12 hours after ignition. This map was created late last night from observations from the field rather than from IR flight

New Level 2 Notice Issued for Residents on Nonpareil Road

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Douglas Co. Sheriff's Office SUTHERLIN, Ore.  - Level 2 "Be Set" Notice for all residents living on the south side of Nonpareil Road from Plat K Road east to Banks Creek. This includes Fraser Canyon and all other side streets to the east to Banks Creek. Level 2 or "Be Set" means: • This level indicates significant danger to your area and are encouraged to leave. If you decide to stay, be ready to evacuate at a moment's notice • This may be the only notice you receive if conditions worsen • Supply your "go kit" with all the essentials to last 2 weeks • Stay connected with emergency information and evacuation routes • Begin evacuating large animals. The Sheriff's Office is working closely with county and fire officials and will provide additional details as they become available.

Fire near Diamond Lake Resort Forces Level 3 Evacuations

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Douglas Co. Sheriff's Office DIAMOND LAKE, Ore.  - A  Level 3 Evacuation Order  has been issued for all homes, cabins, recreation sites and the lodge at Diamond Lake. There is a significant wildfire burning in the area of the lake. Danger to the area is current or imminent, and residents and visitors should evacuate immediately and without delay via the safest route possible. If you choose to ignore this advisement, you must understand that emergency services may not be able to assist you further. Do not delay leaving to gather any belongings or make efforts to protect any home or structure. This will be the last notice that you receive. Be advised Highway 138E is currently closed at Dry Creek. Alternate routes may be Highway 230 or Highway 97.

Level 3 Evacuations Ordered for Gassy Creek West to End of Nonpariel Road

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Douglas Co. Sheriff's Office SUTHERLIN, Ore.  - LEVEL 3 EVACUATION - GO! NOTICE NOW ORDERED FOR ALL HOMES LOCATED IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: ALL HOMES LOCATED ON NONPARIEL ROAD ON AND BETWEEN GASSY CREEK WEST TO THE END OF NONPARIEL ROAD.  Level 3 or "GO!" means: • If you chose not to evacuate, emergency services may not be able to assist you further. • Grab your "go kit" and leave immediately. • Follow your evacuation plan and stay informed. Danger to the evacuated area is current and imminent and you should evacuate immediately. If you choose to ignore this advisement, you must understand that emergency services may not be available to assist you further. Do not delay leaving to gather any belongings or make efforts to protect your home. This will be the last message you receive. Residents may evacuate to the Douglas County Fairgrounds to seek assistance from the Red Cross. For more information about the Fire, please visit DFPA's Facebook

Oregon Army National Guard assists local communities with Wildland Fires

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Oregon Military Department SALEM, Ore.  - The Oregon National Guard has been responding to five separate counties with wildland fire and search and recovery efforts employing seven aircraft to include, UH-60 Blackhawk and UH-72A Lakota helicopters directly assisting local counties. With situations continuing to change, the Oregon National Guard is monitoring the ongoing conditions to respond and support local agencies when requested. The Oregon National Guard has three teams of 125-members red card trained and on standby to support wildland fire efforts. Video B-roll/imagery of recent operations and training: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/764840/oregon-army-national-guard-assists-with-eastern-oregon-forest-firefighting-operations https://www.dvidshub.net/video/760938/orng-red-card-certification 200822-Z-CM403-004:  Oregon Army National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk pilot, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Michael Newgard and crew chief, Staff Sgt. Elana Cleveland from G/1-189 Aviatio

NEW LEVEL 3 EVACUATION NOTICES ISSUED

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Douglas Co. Sheriff's Office GLIDE, Ore.  - LEVEL 3 EVACUATION - GO! - NOTICE NOW ORDERED FOR ALL OF LONE ROCK RD, SOUTH LONE ROCK AND BAR L RANCH RD. THIS INCLUDES ALL ROADS AND RESIDENCES OFF OF THESE AREAS. Level 3 or "GO!" means: • If you chose not to evacuate, emergency services may not be able to assist you further. • Grab your "go kit" and leave immediately. • Follow your evacuation plan and stay informed. "We strongly urge residents to leave their homes in the affected area as fire officials have determined there is a significant public safety risk," Sgt. Brad O'Dell said. "The Sheriff's Office is committed to working with the fire management team to ensure public safety. We ask that residents look to official sources to the most current information." For more information about the Fire, please visit DFPA's Facebook page or stay tuned to local media outlets.

Star Mountain Fire

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Douglas Forest Protective Association Crews from DFPA and local fire agencies are on scene of a new fire start east of Glide near Susan Creek Road that has been named the Star Mountain Fire. The main body of the Star Mountain Fire is located north of Highway 138 East and is estimated to be 250 acres in size. Several spot fires have popped up south of Highway 138 East and the North Umpqua River and is estimated to be 50 acres in size, bringing the total fire size of the Sta r Mountain incident to 300 acres. Three helicopters, a Large Air Tanker, and two Single Engine Air Tankers are providing aviation support for the ground resources working on the blaze. Additional aviation and ground resources have been ordered for this incident. Several homes located near the fire that were threatened by the fire and have been evacuated. Additional evacuation orders are pending from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Please follow DCSO for additional evacuation notifications as they become av

Kidnapping II and Luring a Minor at Jubilee Park, Cave Junction

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Josephine Co. Sheriff's Office On Sunday, September 6th, 2020, at approximately 1620 hours, Deputies responded to a disturbance involving subjects attempting to lure children into a vehicle at Jubilee Park in Cave Junction OR. One male had fled the scene heading towards Downtown Cave Junction and members of the community followed from a distance providing the subject’s location until Deputies contacted him. Two other males involved were being detained at Jubilee Park by community members while Deputies located the third who fled into Cave Junction. After a full investigation Deputies were advised the subjects were offering the minor money and candy to get into a vehicle with them.  When the child refused, they commanded the child to get into the vehicle.  All 3 subjects were taken into custody and lodged at the Josephine County Jail for the following: Arrestee #1: Justin Brian Taylor, age 32 Charges: Kidnapping II and Luring a Minor Arrestee #2: Samuel Ralph Cott

FIRE ON UMPQUA NATIONAL FOREST TRIGGERS LEVEL 3 EVACUATIONS

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Douglas Co. Sheriff's Office IDLEYLD PARK, Ore.  - The Sheriff's Office has issued a Level 3 "GO!" Evacuation Notice for all homes on Moore Hill Lane and for all visitors of the Bogus Creek Campground on the Umpqua National Forest. This is in regards to a fire burning on the forest, unrelated to the French Creek Fire. This decision was made in conjunction with fire officials based on an assessment of existing dangers.  Level 3 or "GO!" means: • If you choose not to evacuate, emergency services may not be able to assist you further. • Grab your "go kit" and leave immediately. • Follow your evacuation plan and stay informed. For current information, follow official sources. Fire information will be distributed by the US Forest Service - Umpqua National Forest. 

Missing Idleyld Park Man Found Alive

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Douglas Co. Sheriff's Office IDLEYLD PARK, Ore.  - Search and Rescue crews resumed their search this morning for the Idleyld Park man who was reported missing on Sunday evening. At approximately 11:30 am, 911 dispatchers received a report that hunters had located the missing individual, Jack Allen Lawrence, in the mountains outside of Glide near Emile Shelter. The hunters reported they had given Lawrence some food and water before driving to cell service to request help. Once notified, searchers were able to arrive at the location within a short time.  Deputies learned that Lawrence had gotten his 1990 Toyota pickup high centered on a downed tree on Friday evening (09/04/2020). Lawrence had gotten out of his vehicle, but had fallen approximately 50' over an embankment. Rescue crews were able to extricate Lawrence back to the roadway where he received treatment by EMS. Lawrence was in good condition, but transported by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center for evaluation. Lawr

Level 3 Evacuation Notices Now Issued - French Creek Fire

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Douglas Co. Sheriff's Office GLIDE, Ore.  - A Level 3 or "GO!" Evacuation Notice  for residents living on Single Tree Lane, Rivershore Drive and residents living along North Bank Road between the west side of Rivershore Drive and the Bridge  has now been issued. Level 3 or "GO!" means: • If you choose not to evacuate, emergency services may not be able to assist you further. • Grab your "go kit" and leave immediately. • Follow your evacuation plan and stay informed. "We strongly urge residents to leave their homes in the affected area as fire officials have determined there is a significant public safety risk," Sgt. Brad O'Dell said. "The Sheriff's Office is committed to working with the fire management team to ensure public safety. We ask that residents look to official sources to the most current information." For more information about the French Creek Fire, monitor this site, visit DFPA's Facebook pag

Level 2 Notices Issued - French Creek Road Fire

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Douglas Co. Sheriff's Office GLIDE, Ore.  - A fire burning on private lands off of French Creek Road has caused the Sheriff's Office, working in conjunction with fire managers, to issue Level 2 "Be Set" notices for residents living on  French Creek Road, Single Tree Lane, Rivershore Drive and those living on North Bank Road near Rivershore Drive.  Level 2 or "Be Set" means: • This level indicates significant danger to your area and are encouraged to leave. If you decide to stay, be ready to evacuate at a moment's notice •    This may be the only notice you receive if conditions worsen •    Supply your "go kit" with all the essentials to last 2 weeks •    Stay connected with emergency information and evacuation routes •    Begin evacuating large animals.  The Sheriff's Office is working closely with county and fire officials and will provide additional details as they become available.

Fatal Crash on Hwy 42 - Douglas County

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Oregon State Police On Monday, September 7, 2020 at approximately 12:30 A.M., Oregon State Police and emergency personnel responded to a vehicle crash on Hwy 42 near milepost 59. Preliminary investigation revealed that a Toyota Tacoma, operated by Andrew Mendenhall (19) of Sutherlin, was eastbound when it struck a deer in the roadway and rolled several times.  Mendenhall sustained fatal injures and was pronounced deceased. OSP was assisted by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and ODOT.

KIDNAP ARREST

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Grants Pass Dept. of Public Safety On 09-06-2020 at approximately 7:55pm, the Grants Pass Police responded to a report of a male subject at Riverside Park who attempted to grab an 11 year old girl while she was on a swing at the park.  The male was reported to also be following the juvenile and her mother through the park, placing them in fear for their safety.  Officers arrived on scene and detained the male while the incident was investigated.  At the conclusion of the investigation, Martin Brandon Lynch was arrested for Attempted Kidnapping in the Second Degree, Menacing, Harassment and Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree.  Lynch was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on all of the listed charges.  The case will be referred to the Josephine County District Attorney for review and filing of charges.  Based on the investigation, Lynch does not appear to be related to previous reported incidents occurring around local retail establishments.  The Grants Pass Department o