The wildfires that ripped through the Santiam Canyon on Tuesday morning took a horrific toll on towns includingDetroit, Mill City, Gates and Lyons-Mehama.
Lives and buildings have been lost. But there are also places still standing. Not everything was destroyed.
This page will be a running update of confirmed buildings and businesses that remain standing, those that are a mix, and those that didn't make it.
This is a work in progress, so if you have a firsthand account and a picture of a location that is either still standing or lost, email it to zurness@statesmanjournal.com.
Deep dive:How the tiny Beachie Creek Fire blew up and ravaged the Santiam Canyon
Still standing
The first batch includes buildings and places that appear to be still standing and mostly unburned.
The Gingerbread House inLyons
The iconic restaurant in Lyons is still standing. Known most for its "gingerbread, burgers andice cream," it said.
Santiam Elementary School in Mill City
The Santiam Elementary School in Mill City is still standing, as evidence from this photo by Todd Miller.
Santiam Canyon School District Office
More buildings that are part of the school system in Mill City.
Santiam Junior/Senior High School that is under construction
The Santiam junior and high school that is under construction still stands, according to this photo from Todd Miller.
Mountain Cafe in Mill City
The locals' favoriterestaurant in Mill City is still standing.
"We offer home-style breakfast and lunch. We also serve espresso drinks," the restaurant says on its Facebook page.
Dollar General in Mill City
This nationwide chain that specializes in having a littlebit of everything is still standing.
Giovanni Mountain Pizza in Mill City
The canyon favorite for pizza — and particularly its crust —Giovanni Mountain Pizza still stands in Mill City.
Poppa Al's Famous Hamburgers in Mill City
The name says it all right?
The Mill City burger spot posted on its Facebook page:
"The 'Old Man' still stands! Thank you everyone for your prayers and well wishes! Much loss and damage throughoutthe Canyon. Devastating! Not sure we are in the clear yet!
But we will be back in operation as soon as possible to help feed the community while we recover and rebuild!"
Krispy Crunchy Chicken in Mill City
We've heard that this business may have been closed previous to the wildfires, but the building is still standing. Best wishes to everyone involved.
Subway in Mill City
The nationalsandwich chain that sits along Highway 22 is still standing.
Rosie's Mountain Coffee House in Mill City
We didn't get a great picture, but we can confirm the iconic coffee house was still standing.
Canyon Life Museum in Mill City
The museum in downtown Mill City, near the riverfront, that preserves a lot of canyon history is still standing, primary sources confirm. No picture yet.
eNRG Kayaking
The North Santiam River outfitter eNRG Kayaking is still standing, employees said. It's located in the old IndependentPress building next to the Canyon Life Museum near the bridge in Mill City.
Niagara Water Wheel
The historic water wheel near Niagara County Park along Highway 22 still stands, although the area around it was badly burned.
Much of the City of Lyons along Highway 226 and City Hall
Lyons City Hall and most buildings along Highway 226 through the town's main thoroughfare was still standing. No picture is available at this time.
Mobil Gas Station in Mill City
The Mobil gas station along Highway 22 is still standing, employees confirmed. No picture yet.
Oregon Charter Academy building
Oregon's largest virtual public schools has central offices based in Mill City, since it's authorized by the Santiam Canyon School District.
The building still is standing, executive director Allison Galvin said.
"Most people know our building as the wood log building as you first come in to town," Galvin said. "Our other landmark is Hillyers Ford billboard on our property. I think just about everyone who drives by knows that billboard."
Mountain High Grocery in Detroit
Much of the town of Detroit was hit hard (see below), but it appears the popular grocery and goods store that carries everything from fishing tackle to corndogs is still standing. No pictureavailable at this time.
Post office in Detroit
The Post Office on Main Street in Detroit is still standing, eyewitness reports confirm.
Connor's BBQ and Pizza in Detroit
The Detroit restaurant home tohickory smoked chicken and ribs,pulled pork, brisket, and salmon is still standing. No pictureavailable.
Detroit and Big Cliff dams
Based on initial reports after the fire, the dams are stable and safe, officials said. During the fire, "our dam operator was able to shelter-in-place while monitoring the condition of the dam," U.S. Army Corps spokesman Tom Conning said. "We were very fortunate. So far, limited damage and the dams are safe and stable.
Most of Idanha
Most of the structures in the small town just past Detroit appear to be still standing.
"As far as we know, there have been no structures lost in Idanha," theIdanha-Detroit Rural Fire Protection District said.
Mixture
Many places in the Santiam Canyon were a mixture of burned and not burned, including a number of parks. So far, these are the places that are a mix of burned and not burned.
Breitenbush Hot Springs and community
Most of the buildings at iconicBreitenbush Hot Springs have survived, according to a post on the hot springs website.
The lodge, the villa/kitchen, powerhouse, office/gift shop, filter house and many others, and "most of our community homes are still standing," the post said.
However, the fire destroyed the sanctuary, vista (massage) house, our bathhouse, all of our guest cabins, the footbridge over the Breitenbush River at the hot springs.
Silver Falls State Park
Silver Falls State Park has been mostly unscathed so far, even as the Beachie Creek Fire burned right up to and withinits boundaries.
Silver Falls Park Manager Guy Rodrigue said only the southeastern part of the park had been impacted so far, and even in that case, it was just a low-intensity ground fire that did not badly damage an area near the Catamount, Buck Mountain and Lost Creek trails.
The canyon home to the park's iconic waterfalls has not been impacted at all.
Old Gates Elementary School
The old Gates Elementary School in Gates is a mixture of buildings still standing, and buildings lost.
Fishermen's Bend Recreation Site
The most popular boat ramp and campground on the North Santiam River twas badly burned, but the sign still stands. Just inside the park things did not look good, and some buildings are a confirmed loss, but no official word on the future of the campground.
Packsaddle Park
Another very popular park and boat ramp on the North Santiam appeared badly burned. Unclear what the boat ramp and lower parking area looks like.
Little North Fork / Elkhorn community
Of the roughly 45 homes in the Elkhorn Community near the boundary of Willamette National Forest, only about three are believed to remain intact, said JimQuiring, who has been in contact with people who've viewed the area. Many homes were also burned in the Elkhorn Woods Area near the golf course.
Places that didn't make it
There were a number of buildings that were burned by the wildfires in the Santiam Canyon. Here are the confirmed places that have fallen, according to eyewitness and pictures and videos.
Oregon Department of Forestry - North Cascade District Office
The Oregon Department of Forestry Building at the corner of Highway 22 and North Fork Road is a confirmed loss.
North Fork Crossing
Thisrestaurant, which has apparently been closed previous to the fires, was a confirmed loss.
Many places in the City of Detroit
Almost 70 percent of the public buildings in the town of Detroit were destroyed. The buildings listed as a total loss include:
- Detroit City Hall and fire district office
- The Cedars Restaurant
- Detroit Market
- Detroit Post Office: Safe
- Korner Post Restaurant
- Kane's Marina
- All Seasons Motel
- Detroit Lake Marina
- Rivers Run Deli and Gas Station
- Ion Testing (previously Greener Side
- Detroit Lakeside Motel
- Detroit Community Church
This video by Sandi Elwood captures the impact of the wildfires in the City of Detroit.
This story will be updated as new pictures and information arrives.
Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter, photographer and videographer in Oregon for 12 years. To support his work,subscribe to the Statesman Journal.
Urness can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors.
