The two following stories came from the "Mail Tribune" out of Medford:
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August 31, 1918: "A fresh forest fire on Steve's Fork of Carberry Creek near Steamboat in the Applegate District, which had been burning for several days, and which now covers 1,000 acres, was fanned by a high wind which arose yesterday into a swift spreading and traveling conflagration. So fast did the fire travel that Dr. Barker, the retired physician of Jacksonville who is the lookout at the forest service lookout station on Steve's Peak, had barely time to escape with his life. He saw the flames coming up the mountain at some distance away and seizing a few personal effects ran with all his might for a mile or more to safety. The flames reached the lookout station a moment after his departure and destroyed it and all its contents. As yet this forest fire has not gotten into heavy timber."
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September 5, 1918: "The big forest fire that started in brush in the Carberry Creek-Stevens Peak section several days ago, has spread into huge proportions and reached heavy timber. It has spread in length as far as Swan Valley which is 8 to 10 miles west from Stevens Peak. The lookout at the peak, who was forced to flee when the fire started and spread so fast, and who returned to the station later, telephoned today that the peak was surrounded on all sides by fire and that he could not get away if he wanted. He has supplies and of course is now in no danger because of the fire in its rush having burned over everything in the vicinity of the peak."
