№6 Inferno

This last week has been seasonally wet and grey. Although not ideal for photography, I ventured out for a few days to scout and see what I could get despite the dreary conditions.

Last Friday, the weather was dry and partly sunny, so I drove up the North Santiam Highway toward Bend to assess the recovery of this region from the devastating wildfires that occurred in September 2020.

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The Santiam Fire, a merger of three wildfires, surpassed 400,000 acres in size by September 23rd, 2020. Amidst a global pandemic, the fires wreaked devastating havoc on the communities in their path. Thousands of residents were displaced, and tragically, six lives were lost. You can see some images taken by my friend and colleague Kathryn Elsesser of the destruction caused by the fire on Getty Images.

Mill City, approximately 30 miles east of Salem, endured significant damage from the devastating fire. The neighborhood with the Post Office constructed during the Reagan administration was spared.

Further east in Detroit, Oregon, the fire wreaked havoc, destroying 90% of the city. Miraculously, the post office survived the flames.

The fire had blocked off the main highway, forcing people to find a safe path through the forest via forest roads amidst the burning flames.

Four years after the disaster, the city is still in the throes of recovery. While numerous rebuilding efforts are underway, it will be long before the town fully recovers.