The Almeda Drive fire of 2020 destroyed 2500 homes, most of them in areas served by Jackson County Fire District Five. A lot went wrong that day, including confusion among people evacuating about which way to go, and on which roads.
The district and the community have taken steps to avoid a repeat, and the work continues on wildfire preparation, evacuation protocols, and emergency alert management in the area. A community north of Ashland, split between city and fire district, made some special efforts to prepare for fire/evacuation/sheltering in place. We get an update from JCFD5 Battalion Chief Brian Bolstad and community member Marla Estes.