Local News

The National Weather Service has extended the High Heat Warning through Tuesday night at 8 p.m. High temperatures of 100 to 105 expected, except up to 110 in the valleys of western Siskiyou County. Low temperatures will be mainly in the mid to upper 60s. Impacted areas include California, Central Siskiyou County and Western Siskiyou County. In Oregon, Eastern Curry County and Josephine County and Jackson County. This includes the Rogue, Illinois, Scott, Shasta and Klamath River Valleys as well as the communities of Medford, Grants Pass, Ashland, Cave Junction, Yreka, Montague, and Happy Camp. An increased chance of heat related illness for those without access to cooling facilities.Warm overnight temperatures will limit relief from hot daytime temperatures. Hot temperatures are likely to continue into mid-week.

 

A wanted felon was arrested and lodged in jail by the Grants Pass City Police Saturday afternoon after being dispatched to the Human Bean on Northeast F Street. A report of suspicious activity was reported by the Human Bean staff after a man had been trespassed from the property. The caller reported the man to be holding a small black or blue pipe. When he appeared to be smoking it, he began to act differently and start dancing. Arriving officers contacted Brian Jay Steffen, 50-years-old, and found there was a valid warrant for his arrest. Steffen was initially uncooperative, but, with the release of a taser from the officer’s holster he became compliant. Steffen was lodged in the County Jail on a post-prison sanction. This is the sixth incarceration for Steffen since August of last yea

 

A wanted felon was arrested and lodged in jail by the Grants Pass City Police Saturday afternoon after being dispatched to the Human Bean on Northeast F Street. A report of suspicious activity was reported by the Human Bean staff after a man had been trespassed from the property. The caller reported the man to be holding a small black or blue pipe. When he appeared to be smoking it, he began to act differently and start dancing. Arriving officers contacted Brian Jay Steffen, 50-years-old, and found there was a valid warrant for his arrest. Steffen was initially uncooperative, but, with the release of a taser from the officer’s holster he became compliant. Steffen was lodged in the County Jail on a post-prison sanction. This is the sixth incarceration for Steffen since August of last year.

 

Callers reported an aggressive man pounding on vehicles and trying to start fights Saturday night just after 8:00 p.m. prompting Josephine County Deputies to the scene where the suspect was arrested.
Callers reported the man to be along the Merlin/Galice Road between Ray’s and Area 61 near a red truck. Deputies contacted and detained 44-year-old Darren Louis Pierce. Pierce was transported to the county jail where he was lodged for disorderly conduct II. This was Pierce’s third arrest since October of 2024 for various charges including DUII, driving while suspended and reckless driving. He remained in custody Sunday evening.

 

Funding the Committee on Public Art’s request for funding for the Redwood Alley activation and Welcome Center mural leads the Grants Pass City Council’s workshop agenda this morning. In previous meetings the Council had asked for more detail before approving a $15,000 request from the Committee. The topic will then turn to Public Safety service and funding before Councilors review upcoming agendas. The workshop begins at 11:45 a.m. in City Council Chambers at 101 Northwest A Street

 

The current status of the fires under ODF Incident Management Team 3 is all fires are 100% lined and in various stages of mop up. Crews are focusing on strengthening lines while removing snags and extinguishing hot spots along fire perimeters.Despite unfavorable weather conditions firefighters continue to hold and strengthen fire lines, conduct mop-up within fire perimeters, and increase containment levels of fires across the Grizzly complex of fires that began July 7th.Triple digit temperatures, low relative humidity, and winds pose a heightened risk for flaring up hot spots within the fire and generating new starts across the region. Mop-up operations work to cool the fire’s edge to create a wider perimeter to help mitigate embers from escaping the fire. Sunday, aircraft delivered large water bladders to remote areas around the fire, enabling crews to extinguish hot spots in difficult-to-access locations. Helicopters also used buckets to cool remote portions of the fire. Firefighters continue to fall dead standing trees, to remove the hazard and allow firefighters to safely access additional portions of the fire.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.