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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 26, 2015)
Wildfires Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, August 26, 2015 A3 A ‘miracle’ house for a birthday present %\&KHU\O+RHÀHU Blue Mountain Eagle CANYON CITY — “It was like something out of a horror movie.” That’s what Amy Hoppe said the Canyon Creek area resembled when she, her brother and a cousin drove through Saturday morning, Aug. 15, to check on the home of her 90-year-old grand- mother, Dortha Hoppe. At least they knew the home was still standing. And Dortha was safe at that point, too, staying in John Day with her son and his wife, Wayne and Barbara Hoppe, Amy’s parents. When the area went on a Level 1 evacuation the morn- ing before, Amy went up to her grandmother’s house to get her and some of her clothes, and take her to her parents’ house in John Day. But when Amy went to get a few more belongings, the police told her the area was at a Level 3 evacuation. She needed to leave immediately. “I rushed into the home, shaking, grabbed a bunch of photo albums and snapped a picture out the window,” she said. Later that night, they were told the house was gone, but Amy said she learned from Julie and Gordon Larson, who went up to get horses, that it was the only home in the area not destroyed. Just exactly what they found upon arrival however, took them by surprise. The property surrounding the home and right up to its base was blackened and charred. A Siding has melted and fallen off, but Dortha Hoppe’s house is still standing. Contributed photos/Amy Hoppe The shop of Amy Hoppe’s late grandfather, Buck Hoppe, was destroyed in the fire. Dortha Hoppe’s house, just beyond the driveway, is mostly intact, while everything surrounding it burned. couple of windows were blown out and vinyl siding melted in places, Hoppe said, but other- wise, it was intact. The next day, Sunday, while she and another cousin were at the house, ¿re¿ghters from the North Lincoln Fire Depart- ment stopped by to ask a few questions and told them it was a local Oregon Department of Forestry crew who had worked that area. According to the North Lincoln ¿re crew, Amy said, the forestry department crew moved brush and stuck sprin- klers around, hoping to save it. They had to move on before they themselves didn’t make it back out, but asked later about the houses that were still stand- ing and about “the yellow one on the hill.” “The North Lincoln guys said they named it the ‘miracle house,’” Amy said. Ever since Dortha’s hus- band, Buck Hoppe, died in May 2011, Amy said her parents have tried to help her grandmother stay in her home, where she has lived for over 50 years. “We all to this day have no clue how it is still there,” she added. It was also an early birth- day present for Dortha, who Dortha Hoppe celebrates her 90th birthday with cake — and a home spared from the Canyon Creek Complex fire, thanks to ODF fire crews. turned 90 on Aug. 17. “My family and grand- mother are grateful, but our hearts are heavy for those who did lose homes,” Amy said. “We are beyond thank- ful for what they did,” she added. Fire¿ghters Moin 6-year-old’s celebration Protect What’s Precious. Immunize Today! By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle JOHN DAY — A group of Canyon Creek Complex ¿re- ¿ghters sang “Happy Birthday” to 6-year-old Dalia Nicodemus last Tuesday night as she shared 20 cupcakes at their ¿re camp dinner. The birthday girl said her fa- vorite part of helping her mom make the cupcakes was pouring in the mix and licking the bowls. The whole family helped distribute the cupcakes, includ- ing Dalia’s mom. Sophia; her dad, Gary; and younger broth- ers, Duke, 4, and Khler, 3. Fire¿ghters were all smiles at the gesture. The Nicodemus kids also set up signs thanking the crews for their work on the local ¿re. Sophia said the family has had a view of the ¿re, which has destroyed at least 39 homes, from their Canyon City resi- dence — at a safe distance. “Seeing the ¿re was pretty scary,” she said. “We feel hor- rible for the people who lost things, but we’re also very glad for these ¿re¿ghters.” Protect the health of your child and others by immunizing against pertussis, measles, meningitis and other vaccine- preventable, life-threatening illnesses. To find out which vaccinations are required and recommended for the new school year, call our office today. Grant County Health Department 528 E Main St. | John Day 541-575-0429 | 888-443-9104 Open Mon.-Fri. 8am-5pm Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter Birthday girl Dalia Nicodemus, 6, serves one of 240 cupcakes to firefighters at the Grant County Fairgrounds during dinnertime at the fire camp Wednesday night. Standing with her are her younger brother (bottom left), Khler, 3, her mom, Sophia, and Kim Randleas, a camp cook. Drexel H. Foundation Film Festival Dalia Nicodemus shows a poster she made for the firefighters who have been working on the Canyon Creek Complex fire. Rex Theater Vale, OR • September 12, 2015 • 6:30pm Film Makers Competition Deadline: August 31 $100 Cash to Best of Show Winner need not be present to win. Categories: Film | Photo Slideshow | Food | Super Short Entry forms at www.thedrexelfoundation.org or call us at 541-473-3470 For kids, by kids, with kids in mind! We lost our home in the Canyon Creek Complex fire and we want all of the firefighters to know how much we appreciate all you did to protect structures. So many homes saved! Thank you! No home is worth losing a life. We are so thankful no human lives were lost. Special thanks to the crew that was on the Corral Gulch Road. They were there after the burn came through and they saved several homes and structures, I believe they saved our barn. Another special thank you goes out to the flaggers who were monitoring traffic down 395, that was a very stressful time for everyone involved. We can’t thank you enough. We cannot say thank you enough to the emergency responders, Red Cross, the Fairground’s volunteers and all of the outside sources of donations for all you have done to help. Thank you friends, family and our special “Oregon Family” and neighbors for all your support through this difficult time. Thank you to the lady (sorry I don’t know your name) that brought me salami for protein. It’s all been overwhelming to us. We just want to say thank you to anyone we may not have mentioned. We are strong, we are fine and we love Grant County and all the people that make Grant County what it is. Thank you to Undersheriff Todd McKinley for your sincerity and giving us closure. Thank you to Lisa Hunter-Kennedy at Ed Staub’s for listening and talking about this horrific event. Our hearts are heavy, but we feel we can move on. Steve and Tori Iske NO ONE KNOWS YOUR EQUIPMENT BETTER. Your AGCO Parts Dealer has the parts you need when you need them. Hardware, chain, batteries, tillage, belts, cutting parts. We have the quality parts you need to keep your AGCO equipment running smoothly during the demanding harvest season. Highly trained service personnel at AGCO Parts make it all come together, so you can rest easy. Visit your AGCO Parts Dealer and get the parts and services you need to “Keep you in the Field” this season. Find out more at agcoparts.com. 02581
