Five years after the devastating 2020 Labor Day wildfires, the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is honoring survivors, remembering those who were lost and lifting up the communities that continue to recover. The wildfires impacted 20 Oregon counties and burned more than 1 million acres, destroyed 5,000 structures and tragically took nine lives. Not everyone is fully recovered, and ODHS remains committed to supporting them as recovery continues.

“The 2020 wildfires made it clear that we must not only respond to disasters but also build resilience into everything we do,” said Liesl Wendt, ODHS deputy director who helped create the Office of Resilience and Emergency Management (OREM) in the wake of the fires. “We have seen firsthand how critical it is to keep people at the center of emergency planning.”

The fires destroyed homes, uprooted families and left lasting scars across the state. While recovery is still underway for many individuals and families, ODHS is better prepared today to protect people and respond to emergencies.

Building resilience after the fires

The 2020 wildfires revealed urgent gaps in Oregon’s emergency response and client protection systems. In response, ODHS launched OREM to strengthen its ability to serve Oregonians before, during and after disasters.

“On my first day as OREM director, September 8, 2020, Labor Day fires were sweeping across the Western Oregon landscape. Over 500,000 Oregonians were under a level 1, 2 or 3 evacuation orders. That is nearly one in 8 Oregonians,” said Ed Flick, director of OREM since its inception. “That is a lot of people who needed shelter. And because of COVID, congregate shelters such as school gyms were not an option.”

The OREM team quickly took action and began building a shelter and feeding vendor network in anticipation of the American Red Cross handing sheltering over to ODHS. ODHS is responsible for mass care, which includes food and shelter, in the state emergency response plan. Most importantly, OREM began to build relationships in local communities, putting into practice the adage that all disasters are local. “The state and federal governments are here to help, but that takes time to mobilize. Local communities are the first on scene during emergencies,” Flick said.

Fast forward to 2025, OREM has staff located across the state, including a liaison to Oregon’s Nine Federally Recognized Tribes. These staff know their communities and work every day to strengthen relationships and build local capacity.

To improve evacuation planning, OREM has made an evacuation management system available statewide. OREM has also improved ODHS’ ability to identify and map vulnerable populations served by ODHS. When an emergency evacuation is announced, OREM’s network of safety officers can identify clients in the evacuation zone and ensure they have a plan to get to safety. This system was used as recently as the Flat Fire. After the 2020 fires, it took months to stand up disaster case management. Thanks to the Oregon Legislature, OREM now has a network of local disaster case management partners and its own disaster case managers who work with communities and ODHS offices to identify how people were impacted and connect people with resources.

About OREM

Over the past five years, OREM has led the state’s efforts in mass care and social services recovery, as well as business continuity for ODHS programs. On behalf of ODHS, OREM operates in four primary areas of work:

• Lead state agency for emergency support function 6, which covers mass care, emergency assistance, housing and human services. OREM coordinates the supports people need when they are evacuated from their homes.
• Lead state agency for state recovery function 4, focused on social services. This helps communities recover more quickly and equitably when crisis strikes.
  • Read more about ESFs and SRFs in Oregon’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.
• Continuity of operations, ensuring ODHS services remain accessible to Oregonians during emergencies and disruptions.
• Lead state agency for developing resilience hubs and networks and warming, cooling and cleaner air centers. OREM partners with local communities and organizations to build capacity to open centers that keep Oregonians safe.

Looking ahead to a more resilient Oregon

“Five years later, we continue to grieve with survivors and honor the resilience of the communities most deeply affected,” Wendt said. “Oregon is not fully recovered, but we are better prepared than we were in 2020. OREM is at the center of that effort for ODHS, ensuring that clients and all Oregonians have the support they need when emergencies strike.”

ODHS remains committed to continuous improvement. For those who are still rebuilding their lives, ODHS will continue providing assistance and connecting people with the resources they need. OREM will also keep expanding partnerships, strengthening evacuation and care systems and investing in community-based resilience initiatives so that Oregon is ready to meet the challenges of the future.

Everyone should sign up for OR Alert emergency notification for counties they live and frequent. Visit ready.gov to learn how to prepare for emergencies.