Oregon communities come together to celebrate perseverance, a year after historic wildfires
By Drew Reeves, Fox 12 Oregon
IDANHA, Ore. (KPTV) -- One year after wildfires tore across Oregon, two communities gathered on Labor Day to celebrate being together one year later.
People from Idanha and Detroit met to celebrate the perseverance of the community, which was devastated by fire.
“It is my belief we’ve only become stronger,” said Damon Faust, deputy chief of Idanha-Detroit Fire.
It’s hard for some to think that it has already been one year since 2020’s historic wildfire season.
“It definitely feels like yesterday, right?” Faust said. “And you can see it in the scarring all around us.”
Many still have not recovered from the trauma of that year. Folks say the fires in surrounding areas this summer have been triggering.
“There’s a lot of people up here still got PTSD. We got people all over the internet up here freaking out, I smell smoke, we got ashes falling down,” said Travis James, a survivor of those wildfires.
James and his wife live in Idanha. The two say they narrowly escaped the flames and falling trees as they drove out of town last year and say they did it all with a popped tire. They say eventually they even got in the back of someone else’s truck.
“My pants caught on fire in the back of the truck from embers landing on my pants,” said James.
The couple’s home was spared from the flames, but was destroyed by sprinklers that were left on to ward off the fire.
James said it took months for progress to be made on rebuilding their home, mainly due to insurance.
“Our adjuster played hardball so bad for so long. We had contractors drag off of jobs, because she wasn’t… and we wiped out our entire savings paying for these contractors, so then we had to sit around and wait for checks to come back in,” he said.
They just managed to get back into their home three weeks ago.
Despite the continued struggles of the community, people chose to get together Monday to honor their community.
“Folks just kept persevering and pushing forward and it is a testament to the resiliency of this community,” said Faust.
Governor Kate Statement on One-Year Anniversary of Historic Labor Day Wildfires in Oregon
Governor proclaims Sept. 7 as a day of remembrance; calls on Oregonians to honor with action
(Salem, OR) — Governor Kate Brown proclaimed today to be a day of remembrance and issued the following statement on the one-year anniversary of the historic 2020 Labor Day Wildfires in Oregon:
“Today marks one year since a severe windstorm fueled the catastrophic Labor Day wildfires that tore through Oregon communities, causing historic destruction and displacing thousands of families.
“I want to acknowledge that this anniversary is traumatizing for so many Oregonians, especially as we continue to rebuild while facing even more wildfires this season. Wildfire survivors have experienced exceptional stresses and trauma over the last year, including the added challenges brought on by COVID-19.
“As is the Oregon way, we are stronger when we stand together. I want to thank all the dedicated Oregonians — the firefighters, local emergency managers, Red Cross volunteers, neighbors, community-based organizations, and many more — who helped with response efforts and are now focused on recovery. I remain committed to building back better and stronger — by engaging communities, rebuilding in an equitable way, and building more fire-resistant communities.
“As we reflect on the past year and continue to recover and rebuild, we must also prepare for the next disaster. As part of National Preparedness Month, I’m calling on Oregonians to ‘honor with action’ by taking simple steps to stay informed and be better prepared, such as signing up for emergency alerts, reviewing community evacuation routes, or talking with a neighbor who may need some extra help during an emergency.
“Because if we learned anything this past year, a disaster can happen at any moment. Whether that be public health, wildfire, severe winter storms, or extreme heat. By taking steps to be better prepared, together we can build stronger, more resilient communities."
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