Oregon Wildfires: Praying for Communities

This family is safe, but lost their home. Molalla, OR

When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; 

Isaiah 43: 2-3

 

Oh my, where to start?

 

“Start where you are,” is the common wisdom, and since we are based in the community of Molalla, I will start with our story.

 

In 1938 when my grandfather bought our farm, now a “tree farm” where we grow trees for timber, it was mostly brush and tall, black snags (dead trees). Just a few years prior to his purchase a forest fire had blazed through the area and blackened hundreds of acres. My father, after he inherited the land, put a lot of time and effort into clearing out those snags and big old burned stumps. The last 40 years the property has been managed as timberland, and is covered with Douglas fir, cedar, hemlock and Ponderosa Pine among other species – a healthy and diverse forest, home to elk, deer, cougar and other wildlife. 

 

The day after Labor Day, September 8, 2020, it seemed we might wind up back where we started, with a forest of black snags. My daughter, who lives on the property, called me about 3 a.m. concerned about the amount of smoke coming from the Beachie Creek fire, in the wilderness southeast of Detroit, Oregon but only ten miles from our property as the crow flies. The hot, dry east winds that had come up late on Labor Day were pushing the fire and had knocked out the power so she only had her cell phone for information. By 4 a.m. she could see flames on the far horizon. By 5 a.m. they were evacuating homes just a couple miles above our place. With no resources capable of withstanding such a fast-moving fire, my daughter, son-in-law, their children and my brother came to town, where I live. 

 

Within a few hours it became apparent the town of Molalla was in trouble, too. The authorities began evacuating parts of the town south of Highway 211, but we are only a block north. It was the sky color - a hue I have never before seen - and air quality that persuaded us to leave. Several days of uncertainly and anxiety followed as we scoured the news, the internet and social media for updates. Information was conflicting and confusing, and as the Beachie Creek fire moved down the road to our property, then beyond, hope of still having a home site or a tree farm grew dim. 

 

After a few days, as the situation began to improve, family members checked on our place and – to our great relief and surprise – found most of it still standing. The dwellings are intact and most of the timber is as well. The fire went through our tree farm as a surface fire, not killing the trees, but burning a lot of brush and several small sheds. There is work to do, and some damage to the forest, but we are very grateful that it seems minimal.

 

Our tree farm September 10, 2020

But...many others were not so fortunate and once the fires are finally out there will be much rebuilding and recovery to do, including for the neighbors closest to the farm, just 1/4 mile away. My daughter called them, after she got to town, realizing that without power they might not know the situation. They didn’t, and quickly loaded up and got out, but lost their house. (That's a photo of their place at the top of this post) 

And they are so not alone in that.

God is our refuge and strength, very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Psalm 46: 1-2

 

How to pray for our communities?

 

*Pray for rain. While weather changes have helped slow the fires, many are not yet contained. A shift in weather the wrong way could put homes in danger again.

 

*Pray for the safety of the firefighting crews. There is a mix of trained professionals and local volunteers and they all can use our support and prayers.

 

*Pray for those displaced. Our family scattered to diverse locations, my daughter and I spending a week in motels with only our cat to care for. Others had it so much harder. 

 

There has been a GoFundMe account set up for our neighbors mentioned above.

GoFundMe account

 

More detailed prayer requests will follow.