As 5-year anniversary of Labor Day fires approaches, survivors in Detroit share their stories of recovery

Nearly five years ago, a combination of dry conditions and heavy winds starting on Labor Day quickly accelerated the spread of multiple wildfires that had broken out in Oregon’s Western Cascades. Eleven people died in the Labor Day fires, which burned more than 1 million acres and destroyed more than 4,000 homes, from Clackamas county to the California border.

As the fifth anniversary of the deadliest wildfires in the state’s history approaches, we hear from survivors about their evacuations and efforts to rebuild their lives. They include Debra Bowman and Russ Boyd, residents of Detroit, a city southeast of Salem in eastern Marion County that is still struggling to rebuild after the fires. 

Bowman is a retiree who evacuated the Beachie Creek and Lionshead fires in the early morning hours of Sep. 8, 2020, with her husband and pet dog. Boyd also fled then, driving out of town with his wife and other relatives. Today, he is the co-owner of a mini-mart and bar in Detroit, while his wife and mother-in-law own a hamburger food cart on the same lot. Bowman and Boyd join us to share their memories about the evacuation, returning to Detroit and how they’re doing today.

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