Relief and aid have poured into Blue River's efforts to rebuild following 2020's devastating wildfire. But while it's hard enough to restore a brick-and-mortar community, many long-time residents are concerned others displaced by the devastation may choose to stay away.
Before Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife employees at the Leaburg Hatchery, about three miles west of Vida, could evacuate from the Holiday Farm Fire that was spreading down the McKenzie River corridor in September, they had a big choice to make. Would they prematurely release the fish housed at the hatchery into the McKenzie River, or let them die?
In the early morning hours of Sept. 8, as the sky glowed red from the raging fire that was still getting bigger and more destructive, ODFW ended up releasing about 1.2 million Chinook salmon, small steelhead and rainbow trout fry into the McKenzie River. To ODFW, it was better than seeing them all die in the hatchery.