MEDFORD, Ore. Although the Pacific Pride Fire is over, the environmental disaster at Bear Creek is only now becoming apparent. John Vial, Medford Public Works Director, states that the goal now is to stop further degradation of the environment.
“What we want the public to understand is this is an environmental emergency that is not done, this is an ongoing issue,” said Vial.
Vial claims there is an unknown amount oil, kerosene and diesel that was spilled due to the fire. A portion of it has entered Bear Creek, storm drains, and streets, but it’s unclear how much. Vial says this week’s rain only enhanced the spread of the materials.
“Petroleum products are very hazardous materials that affect drinking water, are very detrimental to wildlife, harmful to the environment these things need to be cleaned up as quick as possible,” said Vial.
The US EPA joined Oregon’s DEQ and other local agencies on-site Thursday, as the clean-up work begins.
“We understand on a conceptual level we’ve got fuel on the ground, fuel in the creek but exactly understanding where it is and how to address it is challenging,” said Geoff Brown, the on-scene coordinator with the Oregon DEQ.
But the work isn’t solely in Bear Creek. They are also working to ensure that no petroleum products leave Central Avenue. They’re emptying the fuel from the above-ground storage tanks, spreading out sand to clean up the road, and placing booms in Bear Creek to block the fuel from traveling further downstream.
“At this point our efforts are divided between cleaning up the site where the petroleum release occurred, cleaning up the stormwater system and the surface of the streets, and our focus on the creek to make sure there’s no off-site impact to wildlife or ecological receptors,” said Brown.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife also supports the effort. It’s managing the response to oiled waterfowl and any other impacts on fish or wildlife.
Meghan Dugan from ODFW reports that its survey team found a few birds that are being looked after by a Medford-based bird rescue organization. At this point, it hasn’t seen any fish affected in Bear Creek, but the work is far from over.
“We are still conducting assessments looking for any affected fish and wildlife along Bear Creek,” said Dugan.