Trail, Ore.- As the second day of the battle against the Cleveland Ridge Fire came to a close, homeowners near the fire lines continued to prepare for evacuations. The fire sparked in a rural area near Trail, Oregon on Monday, August 22. By Tuesday, level two evacuation notices were in effect, meaning homeowners should be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
40 homes are threatened by the fire, which grew to more than 600 acres Wednesday morning. Two residents, a man named William and his wife, have lived in Trail for 11 years. For the first time since moving on to their property, they’ve been told to prepare to leave.
“We packed all the stuff last night,” said William. “We grabbed clothing, the stuff that we really appreciate.”
William isn’t alone. Several other homeowners are prepared to move if the fire jumps its lines and starts moving toward their homes. Social media groups are gathering names and numbers of people willing to help evacuate animals and take in refugees of the fire, while the Red Cross works with Jackson County Emergency Management to come up with a plan to care for anyone forced from their home.
“We encourage people to prepare themselves and their families in case they are being asked to evacuate their homes,” said Jenny Carver with the Red Cross.
The organization has already identified a location for a shelter and has begun notifying volunteers. Meanwhile, trucks are loaded with supplies such as cots, water and food, ready to move to a shelter area if needed.
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