State management crews working on clearing Almeda corridor in the Rogue Valley The task force is combined of groups from the Oregon Departments of Transportation, Environmental Quality and Emergency Management. Posted: Apr 14, 2021 2:57 PM Updated: Apr 14, 2021 3:50 PM Posted By: Adam Schumes PHOENIX, Ore. — It's been more than six months since the Almeda, South Obenchain, and Slater fires swept through Jackson, Josephine, and Siskiyou counties — scorching thousands of acres and leaving thousands of people without their homes or businesses. “We can never lose sight of the fact that this is all about people. We have tons of residents, tons of our neighbors who were displaced by this horrible tragedy that happened down here," said Kevin Alvarado, PIO for the Debris Management Task Force for the South Region. "So being able to see the fact that we've gotten past the halfway point on this, that means the world, because that means that we're one step closer to recovery for this region.”