More than two weeks after the Bench Fire tore through the Warm Springs Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are deep in the early stages of what tribal leaders say will be a years-long recovery.

The fire burned at least six homes and forced hundreds of residents to evacuate. Thousands of tribal members went without electricity or clean water for nearly a week, relying on rationed food and neighbors for support. Roads closed and thick wildfire smoke blanketed the 640,000-acre reservation for days.

"It's the land, the fish, the animals, all of it. We see it as interconnected. Someone outside might say, 'It's just a forest, it'll grow back.' We live here and were supposed to take care of it."

— Edward Henderson, Treasury-Secretary and CEO, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs

Recovery Hub Now Open at Old School Cafeteria

What began as an emergency shelter has evolved into a coordinated Wildfire Recovery Distribution Center, operating at the Old School Cafeteria at 1150 Warm Springs Street. The center provides food, water, household supplies, and other donated goods to impacted residents. Emergency Management staff Danny Martinez and Waymon Harry are coordinating operations with tribal leadership and volunteers.

Tribal officials ask donors to use designated drop-off locations to keep operations orderly. Large agricultural donations — bales of hay and alfalfa — should be delivered to the Natural Resources Department. The CTWS Wildfire Recovery Fund is also accepting monetary donations to help individuals and families rebuild.

Kah-Nee-Ta Offers Relief to Displaced Residents

Kah-Nee-Ta Resort has opened its pool facilities free of charge to residents displaced by the fire — providing a rare moment of normalcy for families navigating an exhausting situation.

Animal Relief Fund Launched

A coalition of animal welfare organizations has launched a Warm Springs Animal Relief Fund with a goal of raising $15,000 to provide feed, veterinary supplies, and recovery resources for livestock and companion animals impacted by the fire. Many families on the reservation — like rancher Shana Johnson, who sheltered in place to protect her cattle, horses, and dogs — faced an impossible choice between evacuating and protecting their animals.

"We were so frightened that we didn't want to leave our animals," Johnson told Oregon Public Broadcasting. "It's not like for us, we can just pick up and move."

Long Road Ahead

Beyond the immediate loss of homes, tribal leaders are grappling with the damage to ancestral lands, timber resources, and the cultural fabric tied to the forest. The Bench Fire's impact on wildlife habitat, fisheries, and traditional food sources will ripple for years.

The Bench Fire is now approximately one-third contained. Jefferson County and Madras area residents wishing to support the recovery effort can donate to the CTWS Wildfire Recovery Fund at warmsprings-nsn.gov or drop off goods at the distribution center in Warm Springs.