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By Hillary Jackson –
While the flames burned more than 70,000 acres near The Dalles, Oregon, The Salvation Army at The Dalles’ Emergency Disaster team was there to support firefighters and later those affected by the blaze that broke out July 17.
Now, as the fire is nearly contained—it reached percent 92 containment as of July 23, according to the Prineville District Bureau of Land Management—The Salvation Army is transitioning to helping those affected by the blaze.
The Salvation Army at The Dalles took to Facebook to share updates as the efforts progressed. On July 24, the corps shared the statistics behind their efforts.
“Huge thanks to The Dalles community who donated funds and gifts in-kind to support families, individuals and firefighters during the #SubstationFire,” the corps posted. “Your generosity allowed us to serve 28,685 hot and cold beverages and 3,526 snacks at the Incident Command Center in Moro, Oregon. As well as, 187 Chapsticks, 147 phone chargers, 85 baby wipe packages and 32 hygiene kits to equip firefighters with additional resources to help keep them moving forward.”
The Salvation Army is currently taking donations to help those who have been affected by the fire. According to the corps, donations will stay in Wasco and Sherman County, so the to needs of those impacted by the Substation Fire can be met. First step? Providing snacks and hydration.
A local bank has set up a pay-it-forward campaign to help those affected by the Substation Fire.
The Substation Fire began on private land southeast of The Dalles, Oregon. Driven by strong winds, the fire grew quickly and moved more than 18 miles in the first burning period.
By July 21, winds tapered, allowing crews to make significant progress on containment, according to the Prineville District Bureau of Land Management. By the evening of July 22, the Substation Fire covered 78,425 acres.
As The Salvation Army at The Dalles transitions from immediate response to recovery, they are ready to help those affected by the fire as long as necessary. If you are in need of assistance, contact The Salvation Army at The Dalles at 541-296-6417, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.
If you are interested in giving to help The Salvation Army’s Substation Fire response efforts, visit thedalles.salvationarmy.org.
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