Community group forms volunteer fire brigade in Gates
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MARION COUNTY, OR (KPTV) — It’s been nearly two weeks since the Beachie Creek Fire tore through the small town of Gates. Many homes and structures were lost, but some neighborhoods are still intact because of a small group of neighbors who have banned together to form a fire brigade.
Two weeks later, the group, headed by Darren Richardson, is still putting out small spot fires.
“We got water tanks we got a guy up here with a 5-gallon trailer water pumps these guys came in like I said the cavalry,” Richardson said. He said they tried to save as many homes as they could.
“When I got up here the awning and all that stuff was on fire and adrenaline kicked in.” Richardson remembers his own home nearly catching on fire. He said the backyard awning went up in flames, but he managed to save his home.
“I mean what do you when your house is on fire and your neighbor’s place is catching on fire you either watch it burn or do something,” he said. Unfortunately, the team couldn’t get to every single home, but they did their best.
“This was all in flames, the heat was intense almost burning ya on your face you could feel the heat,” he said. He’s still in disbelief at what things looked like when there was a blood-orange sky and smoke filled the air.
“The darkness, it was crazy. I couldn’t believe how dark it was, I’d never seen anything like that in my life. It was darker than night dark,” he said. He’s hardly had any sleep but said it’s worth it to help save his town.
“This is who we are, I mean, this is people’s families, their dreams, their hopes, their memories,” he said. Richardson said the community will rise again from these ashes.
“You know we’re gonna be stronger like they have that saying up here canyon strong I don’t who came up with it, but I like it.” Richardson said the group plans to formally create a volunteer fire crew so that if something like this ever happens again, they will be ready.
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