Mayor's Statement on Oak Knoll Fire

Good morning.

Last evening a number of our fellow citizens suffered a tragic loss. Eleven homes were lost and three more suffered significant damage in the Oak Knoll neighborhood. One of our police officers was on duty directing traffic as his home burned.

These people are our neighbors. Even if we don’t know them personally we’ve likely stood in line with them in the grocery stores and passed each other on the sidewalk. On behalf of the City and all residents of Ashland I want to express our sorrow for their loss and our relief they are safe. We are grateful there were no injuries or loss of life.

Without the hard work and dedication of Ashland Fire and Rescue and more than 75 fire personnel from throughout Jackson and Josephine counties, it is likely even more damage would have occurred. We are grateful for their assistance, dedication and quick response.

Ashland is no stranger to fire. Just eleven months ago, the Siskiyou Fire raged in the west hills of Ashland. We live with the threat of fire. Fire is our potential disaster.

As you go about your daily lives please be mindful of the danger of fire and do what you can to reduce the risk.

Thank you to the members of the media who assist us in getting the word out to our citizens during emergencies.