Dear Friends and Neighbors,

A week and a half after the devastating Almeda fire ripped through our communities, we are beginning to understand the nature of this catastrophe.

Initial assessment has pegged the number of lost homes, including apartments, manufactured homes, and houses at more than 2,350. In addition, businesses along the corridor from just north of the Valley View interchange through Phoenix were consumed by fire. Thousands of us were displaced, and many more are grieving for the losses sustained by friends and neighbors.

Local, state and federal governments are in the early stages of collaboration on a comprehensive clean-up plan. As tempting as it is to start thinking about entering the area to sift through the damage – please don’t. Many burned areas are highly toxic. Even ash can contain asbestos and heavy metals. If you absolutely must return, wear protective clothing, including boots, heavy clothing, gloves and masks. We need to have strategies in place to assess, collect, treat, and dispose of this waste.

Below you will find new information about accessing FEMA assistance, filing insurance claims, enrolling for health insurance, utility billing, replacing vital records, voting and more.

Also new is a list of resources to support emotional health. Many of us are in state of grief and trauma. Please access the support you need, and share these resources with loved ones in distress.

Ten days is just the start of the marathon ahead. Stabilizing and then rebuilding lost homes and businesses will take years. But the tremendous efforts we’ve seen in the past week should give us all hope. We are a resilient, strong and focused community, and we will figure out the path forward. My heartfelt thanks to you all.

Best,

   
State Representative
Oregon House District 5 – Southern Jackson County

Fire Info & Recovery Resources

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• FEMA Individual Assistance *
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• Manufactured Home Title Documents *
• Property Tax *
• Small Business Support *
• Mental Health Resources *
• Voting *
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