Santiam Canyon communities struggle to recover 5 years after massive fires

Santiam Canyon communities struggle to recover 5 years after massive fires

DETROIT, Ore (KOIN) -- Labor Day weekend five years ago brought massive wildfires and suffocating smoke to much of Oregon. Hundreds of thousands of acres burned that week, thousands of homes and businesses were destroyed, and lives were lost. One of the hardest hit areas was along Highway 22 in the Santiam Canyon. Drive that route today, and the burn scars and signs of tragedy are easy to spot. Five years after the Santiam Canyon fires, burn sca…