Resources in Lane County for Residents Affected by Wildfires

This list was updated on Sept. 16.

On Monday, Sept. 7, downed power lines started a fire that rapidly overtook parts of the McKenzie River area near Highway 126. Fire officials now say more than 500 structures were destroyed by the Holiday Farm Fire along the McKenzie River. They are now at 6 percent containment and evacuation orders have been reduced. The fire is around 170,000 acres as of Sept. 16.

As people have evacuated and prepare to evacuate from McKenzie Bridge to Walterville, EW organized a list of resources for those affected by the fire:

Residents who are affected by the McKenzie fire — which has been named the Holiday Farm Fire — can call Lane County’s non-emergency call center with questions at 541-682-3977 between 7 am and 10 pm.

Lane County is posting evacuation notices as they arise, as well reductions in evacuation levels. To see where there are notices and what they mean, go to the county’s McKenzie Fire information page and click the drop-down menu for “Evacuation Information.” There you will find the three levels of evacuation and who they apply to.

Lane County government has a fire evacuation zone address search. Type in your address and it will show you if your home is in an evacuation zone.

To sign up for emergency notifications, enroll in the community notification system.

Shelters

For those who were displaced by the fire, the Red Cross offers resources and places to stay. Call  1-888-680-1455 or 503-284-1234 to learn more or to find shelter options.

The Cottage Grove Masonic Hall is also open for those who evacuated. They have space for recreational vehicles (trailers, RVs, etc.) and also have restrooms, showers and facilities for laundry. Call 541-968-3829 to confirm availability.

There are also several RV Sites open. In Veneta, there is space with no utilities available. For more details and availability call 541-729-7498. In northwest Eugene, there is space for up to 50 RV’s with lights, portable restrooms and access to an EWEB hose connection. Call 541-321-3654.

You can let friends and family know you are safe and what shelter you made it to by using the American Red Cross’s Safe and Well website to mark your current status.

Home Share Oregon is helping find housing for those displaced by wildfires. The program is from the nonprofit organization Oregon Harbor of Hope, and it matches homeowners with extra space to renters who need affordable housing. For more information, visit this webpage.

Day Use Shelters

There are day use centers set up around the city and county for individuals who have compromised respiratory systems and need respite from the wildfire smoke. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, spaces are limited and the proper health and sanitation precautions are in place for each location.

In Eugene, the Hilyard Community Center is open for a daytime clean air shelter from 9 am to 5 pm through Friday, Sept. 18. Previously, both the Lane County Fairgrounds and Petersen Barn Community Center in Eugene served as day respite centers, but are now closed/repurposed.

Lane County has designated the Expo Center at the Lane Events Center/Fairgrounds as a 24/7 clean air shelter through Friday Sept. 18 at 8 am. After that the city will will determine whether or not to extend the services. The respite site will follow health protocols for COVID-19, and can only serve up to 15 individuals who are experiencing homelessness. To access the overnight shelter, contact White Bird or call their crisis line at 541-687-4000.

On 717 Highway 99N in Eugene, a nightly shelter is available for 16 people. Duration of the shelter will be assessed by ongoing needs. This location is also where the Dusk to Dawn daytime shelter — run by St. Vincent de Paul — operates.

In Springfield, Willamalane closed the Bob Keefer Center as a day use respite center, but said it will still allow RV parking.

In Creswell, New Hope Baptist Church is open from 8 am to 8 pm.

The Eugene YMCA opened up showers for those displaced by the fires. Thursday from 12 pm to 8pm; Friday from 6 am to 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm to 8 pm; Saturday from 7 am to 12 pm. COVID-19 regulations will still be enforced.

Pets

Oregon Horse Center in Eugene is available for boarding evacuated horses. Call 541-689-9700 from 9 am to 6pm to reserve a space. For after hours call 202-420-1898.

Akins Trailer Sales in Harrisburg is offering trailers to evacuate livestock. Call 541-335-9663 for more information. You can also call 541-995-4884.

Eugene Livestock Auction in Junction City is offering to help with hauling and transporting. Call 541-998-3353 to request help.

Green Hill Humane Society also has room to board some smaller animals. Green Hill is also serving as a lost and found site for animals that are rescued from evacuated areas. Lane County Animals in Disaster (LCAD) is working at Greenhill Humane Society and is availble to care for domestic dogs, cats and other small pets. Call 541-689-1503 to get more information.

For pet evacuations, contact visit the Facebook page for Holiday Farm (McKenzie) Fire Animal Rescue (Lane Co) where community members are working to evacuate animals and provide food and water for others left behind.

You can also call Lane County Animal Services (LCAS) for pet and livestock rescue or to have your pets watered. Call at 541-285-8227.

Closures

Oregon Department of Transportation has closed Highway 126 starting at 69th Street in Springfield and extending through McKenzie Bridge. For the latest highway closure updates visit ODOT TripCheck.

Willamette National Forest recreation facilities, including campgrounds, trails and day use areas are closed.

Howard Buford Recreation Area, which includes Mt. Pisgah, the Arboretum and other trails, has closed to all visitors due to the significant wildfire risk.

The City of Eugene closed Skinner Butte Park and the Ridgeline trail system until further notice and possibly through the weekend due to the extreme fire danger. The Ridgeline trail system includes Hendricks Park and Spencer Butte, as well as Mt. Baldy, Blanton Ridge, Moon Mountain, South Eugene Meadows, Wild Iris Ridge, Amazon Headwaters and Suzanne Arlie Park.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, has closed several recreation districts it manages near its dams: Detroit, Green Peter, Foster, Cougar, Blue River, Lookout Point, Dexter, Hills Creek and Fall Creek dams are closed. Visit their Portland District website for updates and more information.

Willamalane has closed all facilities, parks and trails until further notice due to the hazardous air conditions. This means that the Bob Keefer Center will no longer serve as a respite shelter from the smoke.

 

Personal

FEMA offers disaster aid. If you have experienced uninsured losses or damages due to the wildfires that began on Sept. 2020, you may be eligible for aid. Call 1-800-621-3362 or apply online. Visit FEMA’s information page for more information.

The Bank Building in downtown Cottage Grove is offering free workspace for those displaced by the wildfires. Visit the Bank Building Website  or call 541-942-3870 for more information.

The Center for Community Counseling in Eugene, OR is offering free, short-term mental health services for those who were impacted by wildfires. Visit their website or call 541-344-0620 to schedule an appointment.

For emotional support call 1-800-923-4357. For the disaster stress helpline call 1-800-985-5990. There is also in-person crisis support with Lane County Behavioral Health located at the Graduate Hotel (66 E. 6th Avenue, Eugene). Counseling is available Monday through Friday from 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm.

If you lost your driver’s license, ID card or proof of vehicle ownership as a result of the wildfires, visit the Oregon DMV website. Most DMV offices are only open for appointments, so it is recommended to use the mail option. You can also report a total loss of a vehicle and order replacement titles. Learn more at the DMV wildfire resource page.

Cascadia Data Recovery is offering free data recovery to anybody impacted by the wildfires, because many individuals were forced to evacuate without time to gather up their electronics and important documents.

To find out how your home was affected by the Holiday Farm Fire, call 541-682-3977 between 7 am and 10 pm to receive your residence assessment information.

Volunteer/Donate

Cottage Grove Community Center is accepting donations by appointment only at 541-942-1185.

Volunteer with Lane County Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD). Sign up by visiting COAD’s website. There are also options to donate and find resources.

The Eugene Masonic Lodge #11 (2777 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard) has resources and connections for evacuees and is in need of volunteers. To volunteer, come to the site. No prior sign-up needed.

United Way of Lane County is accepting donations for their recently launched emergency fund to support the wildfire response in Lane County. The fund will support nonprofits and other community organizations assisting those who were impacted by the fires. Organizations can apply for funding and grants here.

The OCCU Foundation — the philanthropic branch of Oregon Community Credit Union — launched a Fire Relief Fund to support the nonprofit organizations responding to the fires. OCCU will match the first $100,000 raised to support fire relief. Visit the OCCU website to donate and for more details.

Donate blood at Bloodworks Northwest, which provides the blood to Lane County hospitals. They are hosting a pop-up blood drive at the Holiday Inn Express in Springfield (919 Kruse Way). Make an appointment on their website or call 800-398-7888.

Other Resources
For information about power and outages Eugene visit EWEB’s information page. For information on water see EWEB’s Water Advice.
For information about current air quality visit Lane Regional Air Protection Agency.
To get updates about the Holiday Farm Fire and other fires around the state and region visit the Oregon Department of Forestry or Northwest Interagency Coordination Center.
White Bird Clinic is also keeping a running list of resources for those affected by the wildfires. Visit their resource page here.
If you have a tip or a resource you think we should add email editor@eugeneweekly.com. You can also let us know if information about a resource has changed.