Damage & Recovery
What to Do Next If You Lost Your Home or Business
Contact Your Insurance Agent
Contact your insurance company right away and ask them what to do first. There are companies that specialize in cleaning and restoring your personal items. Ask your insurance company for recommendations of companies you can trust. Make sure you know if you or your insurance company will pay for the cleaning. When you contact the company, be sure to ask for a cost estimate in writing. If you do not have insurance, your family and community might help you get back on your feet. Organizations that might help include:
- American Red Cross (ARC)
- Salvation Army
- Religious organizations
- Public agencies, such as the public health department
- Community groups
- State or municipal emergency services office
- Nonprofit crisis-counseling centers
Take Care of Yourself & Family
Contact your local disaster relief service, such as the ARC or the Salvation Army. They will help you find food, clothing, medicine, and a place to stay. You have a big job ahead of you. Get plenty of rest, and ask for help. Do not try to do it all alone.
Help Your Pets
If you have pets, find and comfort them. Scared animals often react by biting or scratching. Handle them carefully. Try to leave pets with a family member, friend, or veterinarian if you are visiting or cleaning your damaged home. Keeping your pets out of the house until the cleanup is complete will keep them safe. If you cannot find your pet, contact the Lincoln County Animal Shelter at 541-265-6610, ext. 6.
Finances
Get in touch with your landlord or mortgage lender. Contact your credit card company to report credit cards that were lost in the fire. Save all of your receipts for any money you spend. The receipts may be needed later by the insurance company, and you will need them to prove losses claimed on your tax return.
Lincoln County Property Taxes
Anyone who had a fire-damaged or destroyed home may be eligible for property tax relief. Contact the Assessor's office at 541-265-4102 or the Tax Collector at 541-265-4139.
Manufactured home ownership documents can be downloaded or emailed from the Oregon Manufactured Home Ownership Document System (MHODS) website.
The state of Oregon has committed to paying the cost of household hazardous waste removal. The Debris Management Task Force for the Oregon Wildfire Response is creating a process for homeowners to have their properties cleaned up. Using state resources can mean thousands of dollars in savings from insurance and FEMA Individual Assistance that can be used for other purposes. More information will be available soon on the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Wildfire webpage and on this website. Owners from fire-impacted areas may contact the Lincoln County Call Center at 541-265-0621 for up-to-date information on the debris management plan for their area. Fire debris planning is in the works and will be made available sometime in the near future as more information is provided and state and federal actions take place.
All Areas in Lincoln County Not Directly Impacted by the Fire: Customers may use curbside garbage and recycling services as regularly scheduled. Some areas of North Lincoln Sanitary may see minor disruption of services. Visit the North Lincoln Sanitary website for more details.
For People Moving Back Into Households Within the Fire Zone but Have No Fire Damage: Customers need to call North Lincoln Sanitary to arrange garbage and recycling services. Some areas of North Lincoln Sanitary may see minor disruption of services.
North Lincoln Sanitary Service
Phone: 541-994-5555
Email North Lincoln Sanitary Service
North Lincoln Sanitary website
North Lincoln Sanitary Facebook
Debris Removal & Cleanup
Residents returning to fire-damaged homes will likely encounter hazardous materials as well as structural damage that could pose serious threats to their health and safety. DEQ strongly recommends waiting for FEMA assistance with hazard and debris removal at your property.
If you choose to proceed with the cleanup yourself, this fact sheet provides some basic information about potential consequences and what to expect if you take your debris to a landfill or transfer station. Additional steps could be required.
Potential Loss of FEMA Reimbursement
Cleanup by EPA will include the proper identification, removal, transport, and disposal of hazardous materials on your property.
DEQ asks for patience from homeowners on behalf of FEMA. It will take time before federal agencies begin removal efforts, but there is no cost to homeowners participating in the government response. Cleaning your property up now would be at your cost.
Insurance Claims & Rebuilding
You may also jeopardize your insurance claims and your ability to get a building permit if you complete the cleanup yourself. Contact your insurance company, city, or county as soon as possible for guidance on the necessary documentation you will need.
What to Expect When Doing Cleanup Yourself
Doing the cleanup yourself is dangerous, and if done improperly can harm you, the environment, and the workers at the disposal facility where you take the waste. You will be responsible for the costs and proper characterizations, identification, removal, transport, and disposal of all materials removed from your property.
If materials from a property are dumped illegally, the property owner could be responsible for paying for the cleanup of those materials and may face fines as well.
Prior to starting your cleanup, contact the landfill or transfer station you will use for disposal for their requirements, capacity, and alternative drop-off locations for the following:
- Asbestos: Property owners moving forward on their own should hire a certified asbestos abatement contractor.
- Household Hazardous Waste: Property owners should dispose of HHW separately (e.g., pesticides, fertilizers, paint, pressurized gas containers, ammunition, aerosols, etc.).
- Debris and Ash Removal: To keep landfill personnel safe and to comply with their DEQ permits, landfills may require the completion of a Waste Profile, documentation of proper asbestos abatement, and additional test results.
- Metal, Concrete, and Wood Debris: Property owners should recycle metal, concrete, and wood debris.
- Vehicles and Large Appliances: Although landfills cannot accept vehicles and large appliances for disposal, they may accept them for recycling.
Additional Resources & Regulations
Multiple rules from various agencies may apply to your cleanup. The links below may help.
- DEQ Wildfire page
- DEQ Licensed Asbestos Abatement Contractors
- ODA Large Animal Mortality Brochure
- Oregon DMV Wildfire Guidance
- DEQ can provide documents in an alternate format or in a language other than English upon request. Call DEQ at 800-452-4011 or email DEQ.
Residents living in and around areas impacted by wildfires, such as the Western U.S., face an increased risk of flooding - for up to several years after a wildfire. It typically takes 30 days for a new National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) insurance policy to go into effect, so the time to buy flood insurance is now.
Learn more about the risk of flooding after a wildfire on the Floodsmart.gov - Wildfires page. In addition, visit the Flood After Fire: The Increased Risk page to download supporting documents.
- The value of your home and personal belongings: Talk with your insurance company about how to learn the value of your home and property.
- Replacing valuable documents and records: You may want to replace many of the following documents if they were destroyed or lost in the fire:
- Driver's license.
- Auto registration.
- Titles and deeds.
- Insurance policies.
- Military discharge papers.
- Passports.
- Birth, death, and marriage certificates.
- Divorce papers.
- Social security or Medicare cards.
- Credit cards.
- Stocks and bonds.
- Wills.
- Medical records.
- Warranties.
- Income tax records.
- Citizenship papers.
- Replacing money: Handle burnt money as little as possible. Try to place each bill or part of a bill in plastic wrap to help preserve it. If money is only partly burnt - if half or more is still OK - you can take it to your regional Federal Reserve Bank to get it replaced. Ask your bank for the one nearest you. You can also send the burnt money to the Treasury. For personal delivery and nonpostal couriers, e.g. FedEx/UPS, send to:
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
MCD/OFM, Room 344A
14th and C Streets SW
Washington, DC 20228
Personal deliveries of mutilated currency to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing are accepted between the hours of 8 to 11:30 am and 12:30 to 2 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays and other closings.
For USPS Delivery, make sure it is mailed "registered mail, return receipt requested" and send it to:
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
MCD/OFM, Room 344A
P.O. Box 37048
Washington, DC 20013
You can find more information about replacing damaged money on the Bureau of Engraving and Printing website.
To replace U.S. savings bonds that have been destroyed or mutilated, please review and download the FS Form 1048 - Claim for Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed United States Savings Bonds (PDF).
Additional Requirements
- If the bond(s) is mutilated, carefully pack the pieces and submit them with the FS Form 1048.
- If any registrant is deceased, provide a certified copy of the death certificate.
Send to:
Treasury Retail Securities Site
P.O. Box 214
Minneapolis, MN 55480-0214
Cable & Satellite Tv
- CenturyLink (Depoe Bay, Gleneden Beach, Lincoln City):
- Phone: 855-234-1903
- Para Asistencia en Español - Phone: 800-201-4099 opcion 9
- Charter/Spectrum:
- Phone: 855-707-7328
- Spectrum website
- Comcast/Xfinity
- DirectTV
- Phone: 800-531-5000
- DirectTV website
- Dish Network:
- Phone: 844-341-2654
- Dish website
Electricity
- Central Lincoln Peoples' Utility District (CLPUD):
- Phone: 877-265-3211
- Email Clpud
- Clpud.org
- Pacific Power:
- Phone: 888-221-7070
- Consumer's Power Inc.:
- Phone: 800-872-9036
- Cpi.coop website
Gas
Northwest Natural Gas Company (NNG)
Phone: 800-422-4012
Internet & Phone Service
- CenturyLink (Depoe Bay, Gleneden Beach, Lincoln City):
- Phone: 855-234-1903
- Para Asistencia en Español - Phone: 800-201-4099 opcion 9
- Pioneer Connect (Seal Rock, South Beach, Waldport, and Yachats):
- Phone: 888-929-1014
- Pioneer.net
- Sprint (Lincoln City, Neotsu):
- Phone: 888-211-4727
- Spectrum:
- Phone: 855-707-7328
- Spectrum website
- Viasat:
- Phone: 844-702-3199
- Viasat website
- HughesNet:
- Phone: 844-737-2700
- HughesNet website
- Wave Broadband:
- Phone: 866-928-3123
- Astound Broadband - Powered by Wave website
Garbage & Recycling
North Lincoln Sanitary Service
Phone: 541-994-5555
Email North Lincoln Sanitary Service
North Lincoln Sanitary website
Water
Oregon Drinking Water Program Resources
- Water Quality in Buildings Located in Areas Damaged by Wildfire - October 23, 2020 (PDF)
- Wildfires: How Do They Affect Our Water Supplies? An EPA article on how wildfires have an impact on drinking water supplies.
- Post-Wildfire VOC Sampling Guidance (PDF)
- Oregon Post-Wildfire and Flood Playbook
- EPA Wildfire Incident Action Checklist
- FEMA Wildfire Hazard Mitigation Handbook for Public Facilities
- Well Tips During a Fire Emergency (PDF) from Oregon Water Resources Department
Local Water Districts
- City of Lincoln City:
- Phone: 541-996-1211
- Email Sheri W.
- Lincolncity.org
- Panther Creek Water District:
- Phone: 541-994-7293
- Email Panther Creek Water District
- Panthercreekwater.org
- Rose Lodge Water Co:
- Phone: 541-994-4863
- Salmon Drift Creek Watershed:
- Phone: 541-996-3161
- Guptil Subdivision:
- Contact Liz Brenneman at 541-921-3777.
- Hiland Water Corporation (Echo Mountain, Boulder Creek, Bear Creek, and River Bend Systems Four Separate):
- Contact Matt Olson at 503-554-8333
- Hiland Water website
- Visit the Hiland Water Blogspot for the latest updates.
- Salmon River Mobile Village:
- Contact Patricia Heringer at 541-994-3893.
- Lincoln County Environmental Health - Drinking Water Program:
- Phone: 541-265-4127
Septic Services
- T and L Septic and Chemical Toilet Service:
- Phone: 541-994-9950
- Northwest Septic Service INC:
- Phone: 541-994-6977
- M and E Septic Services:
- Phone: 541-563-3867
- Edgewater Environmental:
- Phone: 541-270-6592
- Hyden's Excavating:
- Phone: 541-336-3152
- KW Sweitz:
- Phone: 541-921-1019
- Lincoln County Planning - Onsite Waste Management Division:
- Phone: 541-265-4192
Donations / Volunteer
Help donations go where they are needed most and sign up to volunteer. Visit Oregonrecovers.communityos.org to get started.
At this time, the best way for the public to help people who are affected by wildfires is to make a financial contribution to the American Red Cross or one of the certified organizations that are members of Oregon Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. These on-the-ground organizations know what items and quantities are needed, often buy in bulk with discounts, and, if possible, purchase through businesses local to the disaster, which supports economic recovery.
To donate food, water, and other items, reach out to your local food pantry or Community Action Partnership to see if they are able to receive donations. Find food pantries at Foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org.
Community Action Partnership of Oregon
Phone: 503-316-3951
Caporegon.org
Visit the Seasonal Hazards: Wildfire page for more information.
- After the Fire Brochure - FEMA (PDF)
- Brochure - Returning home after a fire (PGE and CalFire) (PDF)
- Civil Rights and Disaster Assistance Notice - English (PDF)
- Civil Rights and Disaster Assistance Notice - Spanish (PDF)
- Civil Rights Flyer - English (PDF)
- Civil Rights Flyer - Spanish (PDF)
- Consuma Alimentos Seburos Despues De Un Corte De Electricidad (PDF)
- Consuma Alimentos Seguros Despues Un Corte De Electricidad (PDF)
- Daip Disaster Survivor Application Checklist - December 2019 - English (PDF)
- Daip Disaster Survivor Application Checklist - December 2019 - Spanish (PDF)
- Disaster Assistance Didyouknow Status-by-Phone September 2018 - English (PDF)
- Disaster Assistance Didyouknow Status-by-Phone September 2018 - Spanish (PDF)
- Disaster Assistance Fact Sheet December 2019 - English (PDF)
- Disaster Assistance Fact Sheet December 2019 - Spanish (PDF)
- Eat Safe Infographic (PDF)
- Echo Mountain Fire Safety for Returning Home (DOCX)
- Echo Recovery Resources Flyer (PDF)
- Fact Sheet - Individuals and Households Program - Final 2019 (PDF)
- Fact Sheet Oregonians Affected by Wildfires Spanish V1 002 (PDF)
- FEMA Help-After-Disaster - English Trifold (PDF)
- FEMA Help-After-Disaster - Spanish Trifold (PDF)
- Filing a Homeowner Claim After a Fire (PDF)
- Fire Fact Sheet - FEMA (PDF)
- Help After a Disaster - FEMA Individual Assistance Can Help You Recover (PDF)
- Important Contacts (PDF)
- Incendio De La Montana Echo Seguridad Para Regresar a Casa (DOCX)
- Lincoln County - FEMA Begins Construction of Temporary Housing Site for Wildfire Survivors (PDF)
- Lincoln County Utilities (PDF)
- Lincoln County Utilities Spanish (PDF)
- Managing Ash and Fire Debris (Oregon DEQ) (PDF)
- Packet Handed out at Level 3 Re-Entry September 19 and 20, 2020 - English (PDF)
- Packet Handed out at Level 3 Re-Entry September 19 and 20, 2020 - Spanish (PDF)
- Registration Flyer - English and Spanish (PDF)
- SBA - Disaster Assistance Loans Homeowners-Renters (PDF)
- Sequence of Delivery Individual Assistane (IA)Timeline FEMA (PDF)
- Su Salud Mental Importa (PDF)
- Three Step Process SBA Disaster Loans - English (PDF)
- Three Step Process SBA Disaster Loans - Spanish (PDF)
- Water Information - After the Fire - October 2, 2020 - English (DOCX)
- Water Information - After the Fire - October 2, 2020 - Spanish (DOCX)
- Water Quality in Buildings Located in Areas Damaged by Wildfire - October 23, 2020 (PDF)
- Wildfire Debris Fact Sheet - DEQ (PDF)
- Your Mental Health Matters (PDF)