Fire Clean-up Moves from Toxic Waste to Tree and Debris Clean-up

MEDFORD, Ore. — KOBI The Jackson County Emergency Operations Center is providing new details about clean up efforts surrounding the Almeda Fire.

John Vial with the Emergency Operations Center says setting up mobile home parks and finding transitional housing is in progress.

He says 256 people still need direct housing.

Vial says step one of the clean-up process, making sure all sites have no toxic waste, is finished and now sites can be cleaned up.

“There is 2 major contracting efforts that the state is doing, the first is tree removal, the state has issued 6 contracts with 3 different firms totaling $140,654,000,” said Vial.

He says the state has also awarded 5 contracts to 3 different firms totaling nearly 150 million dollars to clean up ash and other debris.

The clean-up will begin on January 4th, starting with ‘Bear Creek Mobile Park’ in Ashland, ‘North Ridge Estates’ off of Highway 99 and ‘Mountain View Mobile Home Park’ in Talent.