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QuickTake:
Five years after the wildfire destroyed more than 500 homes, Lane County commissioners traveled to Blue River to hear from residents about the progress of recovery — and the work that remains. Residents said support is needed for housing and, especially, economic recovery for businesses.
More than five years after fire ripped through the McKenzie Valley, Lane County commissioners toured the area Wednesday, Oct. 8 and heard residents and business owners share accounts of resiliency – and frustration.
After an afternoon of touring, the commissioners gathered in a school gymnasium in Blue River to hear testimony about the Holiday Farm Fire and its aftermath.
The 2020 fire roared through the McKenzie Valley, scorching more than 173,000 acres and destroying 517 homes on a 20-mile stretch that includes Blue River and other unincorporated rural communities like Finn Rock, Nimrod and Vida.
To get there, commissioners and county staffers made the trek from Eugene to the community of Blue River, caravaning in vehicles through the mountains and forests of blackened tree remnants that still serve as silent reminders that recovery work remains — even after years of work.
The community members who returned, stayed or moved to the valley since 2020 gave commissioners insights that demonstrated a blend of resiliency but also, at times, frustration with the pace of recovery and the resources that the government has allocated, especially for businesses seeking to rebuild.
In the afternoon, the commissioners had several tours, including a visit with Melanie Stanley in front of her general store, where construction has ground to a halt. Without government recovery aid, Stanley is now unable to continue renovating her business, Meyer’s General Store, which her insurer no longer is making payments toward.
“I am stuck dead in the water right now,” she told commissioners and county staffers gathered around her shuttered store.
She estimates it would cost close to $1 million to finish rebuilding and stocking her store. Lane County officials, through federal aid, are setting up a $2 million fund that businesses can apply for later this year.
County officials and residents agree it’s not enough for the unmet needs.
“We are absolutely screwed,” Stanley told commissioners. “We have no help.”
Before the fire, Blue River, an unincorporated community, used the general store as an unofficial place to get information, with Stanley as the unofficial mayor. The night of the fire, 175 people went to the store to get information.
It’s an example of how the general store, like other businesses, is part of the community’s heartbeat.
“How do you buy the heart of the community?” said Greg Rikhoff, assistant county administrator, who also lives in Blue River in a secondary residence. “This is the heart of the community.”
Housing needs remain critical
At the meeting, county officials gave overviews of projects — past and present — that showed the breadth and depth of work that remains. The work includes infrastructure like water and wastewater management and rebuilding homes and businesses.
Even though some rebuilding has occurred, residents at times have been frustrated at the pace at which state and federal recovery dollars have flowed to the valley.
Affordable housing projects have helped provide options, but housing needs remain and years of rebuilding are ahead.
Five years after the fire destroyed 517 dwellings, county officials have issued 261 permits, or about 50%. Of those permits, 225 homes, or about 44% of the lost dwellings, have been built, county data show.
County and state officials are looking for ways to increase the availability of homes, including with funding for property owners to build accessory dwelling units on their land. The small homes can provide an inexpensive source of housing for the workforce, officials said.
Betsy Hunter, a representative of McKenzie Valley Long Term Recovery Group, outlined a plan to add 20 accessory dwelling units, which can be up to 900 square feet each. The dwellings will be available to households that earn up to 80% of the county’s median income, which is $66,000 annually for a family of three. That makes the homes a good fit for working families as well as retirees with limited income.
The group hopes to start seeing their installation in 2026 after state approval of their plan.
Commissioners also heard of bureaucratic hiccups that prevent people from accessing services. Mary Ellen Wheeler, a program manager with McKenzie Valley Long Term Recovery Group, said two young people could not access housing at Lazy Days RV and Mobile Home Park, an affordable housing development, because they lacked a documented rental history.
“At the time of the fire they were minors going to school when living with their parents,” Wheeler said.
Now in their 20s, Wheeler said, “they’re living with their boss in a room so that they can stay employed.”
For commissioners, the meeting offered insights into this corner of Lane County.
Commissioner Heather Buch, whose district includes the McKenzie Valley, said county leaders will do everything they can to help residents overcome the bureaucratic hurdles that remain to access funding and navigate a complicated web of federal and state programs.
Housing recovery and economic development, Buch said, “go hand in hand.”
“That has been a sore spot for many of you, clearly, but also in my advocacy with the state, because there are challenges with utilizing public funds for private enterprise,” Buch said. “And that’s a barrier. It’s a strong barrier to recovery. I will continue to advocate on your behalf.”
