Mavis Pas felt much calmer Saturday. The day before had been trying — she spent the day evacuating her house, all 17 of her pets and was separated from her 90-year-old husband as the Cedar Creek Fire creeped closer to her home of Oakridge.
On Friday afternoon, her husband insisted that she should come back for him after she first took their furry family members to the Lane County Fairgrounds, which is sheltering fire evacuees' large and small animals. But by 7:30 p.m., the fire had grown to the point that the Oakridge-Westfir area escalated to a Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation order and she couldn’t get to him.
Pas went to the temporary evacuation center at Lane Community College, where the Lane County Health and Human Services team worked through the night to connect those without a place to go with resources. Bus after bus arrived from Oakridge to LCC as Pas waited, wondering if her husband would make it out safe.
“I truly did not expect it to get to this," Pas told The Register-Guard on Friday night.
Friday night at LCC:First Oakridge-area evacuees arriving at LCC, fairgrounds shelters in Eugene
Finally, a bus arrived with only one passenger — her husband. Search and Rescue had found him and sent him to Eugene.
The couple was two of about 100 looking for respite at the fairgrounds in Eugene after smoke, soot and power outages plagued the Oakridge-Westfir area. County officials estimate that about 3,000 people evacuated from the area.
Pas' animals joined more than 60 others being housed at the fairgrounds, cared for by volunteers who answered the county's pleas for help with the visiting goats, horses, ponies, sheep, chickens and rabbits.
Pas and her pets were feeling better and more settled on Saturday. Pas thanked county volunteer Tasha Schuetze as she filled out paperwork on her adopted goats Daisy and Clover, both retired 4H projects.
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“These guys are lifesavers,” Pas said about the volunteers. “Do you know what I’d be doing without them? Can you imagine?”
She gestured to the many volunteers checking in with all the animals.
“Animals make us more human,” she said.
Volunteers with the Red Cross cared for the needs of human evacuees with food, water, shelter and other support. Oakridge, a town of about 3,000, is close-knit. Neighbors recognized each other as they wandered around the Red Cross’ shelter area, greeting each other and each other's pets. Some evacuees marveled at how calmly the town evacuated, not passing each other or tailgating on the highway. Many evacuees felt calm among friends and hopeful that they might be able to return home soon.
Fire conditions continued Saturday but a forecasted wind shift in the evening and overnight might help blow smoke away and improve air quality Sunday.
Lisa Mena got to the fairgrounds quickly on Friday in hopes of getting out of the conditions that would trigger her son’s asthma. Air quality was better in Eugene, but nearly-5-year-old Damien was having a hard time.
“His allergies are so bad right now from the smoke, and his asthma has been acting up,” Mena said.
She packed up in only 40 minutes to get her family to better air. Back home, there’s birthday party decorations for her son, but he might have to celebrate in Eugene. Mena shrugged. He was playing with his cousin and having fun. She and the rest of her family of 13 were staying calm as they waited for news.
“There's nothing really you can do, you’re going to have to relax,” Mena said. “We’ll figure something out.”
Officials are asking all people who evacuated to let the county know so they can be directed to resources. Checking in with the county will help assure that residents can be connected with resources after the fire. Evacuees can sign in with the county, as well as other resources, at bit.ly/CedarCreekFireInfo.
Reporter Adam Duvernay contributed to this report.
Contact reporter Tatiana Parafiniuk-Talesnick at Tatiana@registerguard.com or 541-521-7512, and follow her on Twitter @TatianaSophiaPT.