The New Era - All about Sweet Home since 1929

In the aftermath of the windstorm that swept in on the evening of Labor Day, Sweet Home-area residents found themselves facing a threat last week that many had never experienced up close and personally: wildfire.

Strong east winds began sweeping through the area Monday evening, Sept. 7, producing gusts of about 50 mph, knocking down trees and wires, and triggering blown transformers.

Here's a day-by-day recap of what's happened:

Tuesday

By Tuesday morning a small fire had ignited on the hillside above Menear's Bend on Highway 20 east of Foster. In the McKenzie River Valley another, mu...