Volunteers raise money to help fight Durkee Fire

DURKEE, Ore (KTPV) – Crews have been hard at work battling the Durkee fire since July 17.

It has become the largest wildfire burning in the nation, reaching nearly 300,000 acres in rural Oregon.

More than 500 people are battling the blaze, and many of those people are volunteers who live in the community and are fighting to save their homes.

“Durkee is a very small community,” said Amanda Bunch, who lives in Durkee with her husband and two young sons. “We have a post office and there’s talk of a gas station coming. I don’t even know our population.”

The small town houses just over 100 people, and is a place Amanda Bunch and her husband, Levi Bunch, call home.

Their roots run deep in the rural community, going back seven generations. In fact, the original home where the Bunch family homesteaded off the Oregon trail remains on the property. However, it has been reduced to ashes.

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“Overall, it’s a close-knit community and we really work together to help each other out,” Amanda said.

She said coming together has been more important than ever since the wildfire, caused by a lightning strike, began.

Amanda is currently staying with her sister-in-law and away from the smoke and danger, protecting her 1 and 2-year-old sons.

However, Levi is volunteering and battling the fire on the frontlines, like many others who live in the area.

“They have been going non-stop,” Amanda said. “They need a break but they’re not going to take a break. They’re pretty tough people and they’re going to fight for their homes and their community until they can’t anymore.”

The fire is sandwiched between two other active wildfires, the Cow Valley and Thompson Fires.

Amanda said the Thompson Fire threatened their home, burning all the way up to their driveway.

“My house was in major danger one night,” she said. “they saved it and it’s still standing. If my kids were there, it would have been pretty scary.”

Amanda said while the majority of her livestock is safe for now, many of their neighbors haven’t been as fortunate.

All the while she’s been concerned about losing her home and livelihood, she said the fire is also burning a hole in their pockets.

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Amanda said the pool of money that is funding the volunteer firefight isn’t unlimited, and they’re paying out of pocket for expensive fuel costs.

“Every day is a lot of money for all of that equipment to be out, and right now our ranchers and volunteers are fronting that bill,” she said. “I would like to make sure they are reimbursed.”

Amanda has set up a GoFundMe to help front the bill and is grateful for the outpouring of support she said they’ve received from others around the nation during a time she calls a ‘nightmare.’ 

She said while she fears for the safety of her husband and others on the frontlines, she knows they’re doing what must be done.

“We love our community, and we love our valley,” she said. “It’s our home.”

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