Firefighters make progress with the help of wet weather as evacuees still wait to go home

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    PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) — Rain and cooler weather are helping crews gain the upper hand in fighting Oregon’s historic wildfires.

Right now, there are 11 active wildfires burning statewide, covering nearly 1 million acres.

Nine people are dead, and five are missing.

We know that more than 2,200 homes are lost.

While so many people are beginning to see the devastation firsthand, others are still waiting to get back to their communities.

Danielle Larson has not been back home to Detroit since she and her fiancé took a terrifying drive through Fishermen’s Bend to get out nearly two weeks ago.

“You could feel it inside the car, we were afraid that our tires were going to melt,” Larson said. “All I could think about was our baby. So, I covered myself in a blanket and did my best to kind of keep her safe as we got through that area. It was really, really scary.”

Larson is eight months pregnant and recently had a baby shower. They know from others their house is standing but she’s afraid it and everything in it, including all of those gifts and supplies for her baby, are ruined with smoke damage.

“Our entire block where we live is gone other than our house. So, we know that it’s there but that also brings me to the edge of my chair because I just want to go home and get my stuff and see my home and be home but it’s so dangerous I know I can’t,” she said.

They’re taking to heart the warning from officials to stay out for fear of any number of hazards, from falling trees to no power or water.

But there is some good news in the Long Fire fight.

Firefighters have made progress in containment on the Beachie Creek Fire, more than 100 firefighters are coming in from Canada to help on that one as even more go to other fires, and with clearer skies they have air support now too.

“We had a little bit of rain over the entire fire up to an inch on a lot of the fire the clouds came in the sun kind of went away the wind died down that allowed us to get in there and get some work done,” said Beachie Creek Fire Public Information Officer Scott Owen.

Officials stress this is a marathon as they continue work to contain the fires and open up more communities safely, but they understand it is so difficult to be away from home not knowing exactly what awaits.

“That’s the most heartbreaking part,” Larson said. “I just want to go home, I want to see my community, I want to grieve, for me I have to see something, I have to rip the band aid off to get to the next part.”

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