This year’s wildfires have left 9 confirmed fatalities, 1 missing person, and nearly 1,700 people still in shelter after homes and buildings were lost. The most recent estimate shows 1.2 million acres burned in Oregon - twice the annual average over the last ten years. More than 4,000 residences and 1,400 other structures were destroyed.

Oregon’s Office of Emergency Management has created the Response and Recovery Dashboard, working directly with each jurisdiction, agencies, and partners involved with Oregon's response and recovery efforts. OEM continues to merge data from state and local agencies to provide information to help tell the story and assist in collaboration among agencies. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently working on household hazardous waste (HHW) removal in Jackson, Linn, Lane and Marion counties. This free HHW removal involves the delicate handling of hazardous waste such as paint, bleach, propane tanks, asbestos, etc. This step must be completed before ash and debris removal can take place, and all of that happens before property owners can start to rebuild. 

Scams and Fraud targeting wildfire victims

If you suffered property or job loss due to the recent wildfires you may also be the target of scam and/or fraud. As the EPA begins cleanup in Oregon, it's a reminder how officials will or won't contact you to aid in cleanup. In addition to the their advice listed here, Oregon Attorney General Rosenblum's office announced the state Dept. of Justice website: Avoid Wildfire Scams.

  • Watch out for imposters. Guard your personal information.
  • Know that federal and state agencies do not charge application fees.
  • EPA never asks for personal information like your immigration status, Social Security Number or bank account numbers.
  • Cleanup crews working for the state and federal government will contact you only if you have filled out a Right Of Entry (ROE) form.
  • FEMA and the state of Oregon are offering free hazardous waste and ash and debris cleanup (unless you decide to hire a licensed contractor). There will be no cost for wildfire survivors to clear their land. If you choose to do the cleanup on your own, research contractors. Visit ccb.state.or.us/search to verify the contractor has an active license and check their complaint history. Be skeptical of anyone promising immediate clean-up and debris removal. Be wary of people who quote outrageous prices and/or demand payment upfront. Never pay by wire transfer, gift card, cash or by signing over an insurance check. And never make the final payment until the work is done.
  • Spot rental-listing scams: don't send security deposits or rent before you've signed a lease.

Resources

Wildfire recovery: resources by county | Wildfire Insurance Resources