Temporary homes arriving to Mill City site for wildfire survivors

MILL CITY, Ore. — Families in Linn and Marion counties that lost their homes to last fall’s wildfires will soon be able to move into new temporary housing provided by the federal government.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Friday it is moving 13 manufactured homes onto a Mill City site made ready for the purpose. FEMA says the site can accommodate 16 units.

Crews starting preparing the site for the homes earlier this month.

After the homes are in place, they will be inspected, and then families can begin scheduling to get licenses for their temporary homes.

The Beachie Creek fire tore through Mill City in early September of last year. Law enforcement officers rushed to evacuate people from the approaching inferno. The fire destroyed 470 homes and burned nearly 200,000 acres. The exact cause of the blaze is still officially listed as unknown.

According to FEMA, 85 families that had their homes destroyed or severely damaged by the fires have received licenses for FEMA temporary housing. The temporary homes have been placed in RV parks or in FEMA-constructed sites.

FEMA is also working to provide temporary housing for families impacted by the wildfires in Lincoln and Jackson counties.

FEMA says 240 families in the four counties qualify for the temporary housing.