Blue River residents look toward future

Blue River residents look toward future

At 8.

'catastrophic loss' that's what lane county's top administrator says the wildfires have caused in the small town of blue river.

While many families are trying to make sense of losing their home in a matter of minutes -- others are stepping up to help the community when they need it the most.

Kezi 9 news reporter jillian smukler joins us live in the newsroom to share the common theme many of these families are taking tonight.

Matt -- renee -- i spoke with several different families who have been displaced from the holiday farm fire and they all seem to be on the same page.

While they're devastated to see what this fire has done to the small town many of them have grown up in -- they're just happy to be alive tonight.

Families in blue river are trying to make sense of what happened monday night.

"it was terrifying it was the scariest thing that i've ever had happen to me in my entire life."

Everything was fine one minute -- and they were told to get out the next.

"it was immediate evacuation go now everyone was getting in their cars and leaving and now our town is gone there is nothing there" while many are thankful to be alive -- they feel for those who lost everything.

"so devastated for everybody else who has lost everything theres generations of people who have lived there in family homes that are just gone."

Their biggest advice for anyone who is remotely near the fires breaking out?

"if you have the ability for a level one level two start getting things out of there asap because if it goes to a level three you're not going to have the time to do that" jennifer says she's worried for her community -- especially since most of them didn't get other evacuation orders to prepare.

"you struggle in a smaller community and rural areas and for people who have lost everything i think its going to be a very hard thing for people to recover from" but she believes -- everyone should have the same goal.

"i think its important that the community come together and help in any way they can" well -- the gilliam family is doing just that.

"we want to try and protect each other and show some love to each other during this time of need" they own a restaurant called super bowls in eugene.

And they're offering free food to anyone who has been displaced from the holiday farm fire.

"its taken a little bit of grunt work and elbow grease and asking for help from the community but we're quite willing to do the work" they've lost 50 percent of their business due to the pandemic -- but that's not stopping them.

"we have a kitchen we have a staff we have food i just want to feed anyone who is hungry" they tell me being able to help the people they've grown up with in blue river -- is fulfilling.

"all of my friends live there ive known them my whole life its difficult to see the community hurt that way" they hope what they're doing inspires*others to help out too.

"one day you can have it all and one day you can have nothing at all and its really that simple and i think small acts of kindness and just sharing and giving what you can really makes a difference" matt renee -- this story is just so touching.

Not only are they giving back during this time but they live in blue river themselves and have been displaced because of the fire too.

They've been living in a motel and don't even know if their home is standing tonight.

But they have each other... something more valuable than anything.

Reporting in the newsroom jillian smukler kez