Wildfire evacuees find shelter at Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem
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SALEM, OR (KPTV) — The wildfires burning in Marion County are forcing families out of their homes with many of them heading to a Red Cross shelter set up in Salem at the Oregon State Fairgrounds.
Wildfires forced Level 3 and Level 2 evacuations Tuesday for communities in the Santiam Canyon, including Mehama, Lyons, Mill City, Gates, Detroit, Idanha, the North Fork corridor, Scotts Mills, and the Crooked Finger area.
Larry Webb and his wife live in Turner. He told FOX 12 the fire hasn’t reached their home yet, but says they’re trying to get ahead of it.
“We’re in Turner but we’re up on a hill, and I guess Aumsville is on stage two, and we have animals to get out and we have a dirt road, so one way in and one way out – so if that gets clogged we’re stuck. So we’re trying to get our animals out now just to get ahead of the fire if it comes,” Webb said.
Another family says they rushed out of their home in Lyons overnight.
“The ash kind of looked like snow a little bit,” one evacuee said.
“Red sky, dark clouds. That’s it,” said another evacuee.
People who have evacuated from their homes can come to the fairgrounds at 2330 17th Street Northeast in Salem.
An information line has been established at 503-391-7294.
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