Athena man praised for clearing Lower Dry Creek Fire debris free of charge

UMATILLA COUNTY — Community members and local volunteers have begun cleanup efforts following the destructive Lower Dry Creek Fire, which burned thousands of acres and destroyed multiple homes south of Milton-Freewater.

The wildfire, which ignited on July 15, swept through 8,096 acres, leaving a path of significant property destruction. Emergency officials reported that the blaze destroyed six primary residences along with 40 outbuildings, a count that excludes lost vehicles. The official cause of the fire remains under investigation.

As residents process the losses, local volunteer efforts are helping property owners take their first steps toward recovery.

In an interview on KUMA’s Coffee Hour, Umatilla County Commissioner Cindy Timmons highlighted the volunteer work of Brandon King, an Athena resident who has deployed heavy equipment to haul away debris and salvage materials for impacted families.

“He’s cleaning up all the property that was destroyed in the fire,” Timmons said. “He’s taking all the metal and the wood – anything that’s salvageable, they’re going to salvage. Everything else is going to the dump.”

Timmons noted that any proceeds gathered from salvaged metal or materials will be returned directly to the property owners. King is providing the heavy equipment and labor at no cost to the victims.

“He’s doing this at absolutely no charge to any property owner,” Timmons added. “That is a perfect example of people that are just giving back.”

Listen to the full interview at https://omny.fm/shows/coffee-hour-podcast/august-13-umatilla-county-board-of-commissioners

MyCB photo by Dan Thesman of damaged property on Steen Road

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Elkhorn Media Group