House Special Committee on Wildfire Recovery

Wildfire Survivors: Use Your Voice

Phone Into a Special Oregon Legislature Public Hearing on February 15th at 5:30 pm

Article By Jefferson Reeder

We know that in the aftermath of the wildfires there has been confusion and misinformation. Sometimes connecting can be the hardest part of putting your life back together. But the good news is that the Oregon Legislature is committed to long-term recovery for wildfire survivors.

Oregon legislators want to hear from survivors of the state’s September 2020 wildfires, including the Almeda and South Obenchain fires that destroyed thousands of homes in Jackson County and 170 businesses.

The Oregon Legislature’s House Committee on Wildfire Recovery will hold a public hearing online and via telephone to listen to survivors from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15.

Two hours may not seem to do justice to the stories and trauma of survivors, but it’s definitely a sign of progress.

“While we are seeing the welcome signs of a rebound, recovery is a long, slow and hard process. My House colleagues and I are eager to hear firsthand reports to help us understand both progress and ongoing challenges,” said Rep. Pam Marsh, D-Ashland, who represents southern Jackson County and is vice chair of the committee.

All members of the public are invited to share their stories.

“This is an opportunity for the Legislature to learn how we can best serve fire survivors and provide resources to aid in their recovery,” Marsh said.

How to Testify (Audio and/or Video)


You must register in advance to provide verbal testimony during the public hearing. You must register in advance to provide verbal testimony during the public hearing. There are two ways to register:

• INTERNET. Click on this link - https://survey.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eJ9BQFnnvQYvMR8 – and fill in your name and contact information. The system will then send you an email with a meeting link and instructions for delivering your verbal/video testimony using the Microsoft Teams platform. The registration link can also be found on the committee’s agenda on the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS) website.

• PHONE. Call toll-free 833-588-4500. The phone system will provide you with a phone number and access code to call into the meeting and deliver your verbal/audio testimony.

If you are unable to access a phone or internet, a public access station will be set up at the State Capitol building on the evening of the hearing where you can deliver your testimony into a publicly provided laptop.

How to Submit Written Comments
If you would like to submit your story in writing, please email it to hwrec.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov. Your submission will be posted on the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS) website where it can be viewed by legislators and the public.

How to Watch the Meeting


The committee meeting can be viewed “live” online, or via recording after the meeting ends.

To watch the meeting in real-time, look up the Oregon State Legislature homepage, and look for the meeting under “Today’s Events at the Capitol.” Click on the “Location” (e.g., Remote D) for a direct link to the meeting video.

To watch a recording on your own time, please see the Legislative Video webpage. From there, you can search for a past recording by keyword under the “Recent Archives” section.