Four years later: Oregon's 2020 wildfires remembered this Labor Day
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Labor Day 2024 marks four years since the deadly and destructive wildfires of 2020 scorched Oregon's landscape.
The Labor Day fires started in multiple locations over the Cascades as an east wind event took shape. Oregon's lush green forests were burned as valley skies turned orange with smoke, soot, and haze for days.
Buildings are engulfed in flames as a wildfire ravages the central Oregon town of Talent near Medford late Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. (Kevin Jantzer via AP) Wildfires burn in Oregon City overnight. Sept 8, 2020. (Courtesy: Collette Remsen-Harvey) Haze from wildfires darkens the sky over the Oregon coast just north of Yachats Sept. 8, 2020 (courtesy Don Tucker) Wind brought in wildfire smoke and haze throughout Oregon, including this scene in the St. Johns neighborhood of Portland, September 7, 2020 (KOIN) These people evacuated from a fast moving wildfire in Santiam Canyon in Marion County to the Oregon State Fairgrounds, September 8, 2020 (KOIN) Oregon Gov. Kate Brown at a press conference about wildfires raging throughout the state, September 8, 2020 (KOIN) Jonathan Thompson of the Keizer, Oregon, Chamber of Commerce delivers donated bottled water on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, to the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem, which is now an evacuation center as wildfires threaten towns in Oregon. High winds kicked up wildfires across the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday, burning hundreds of thousands of acres, mostly destroying the small town of Malden in eastern Washington state and forcing evacuations and highway closures in Oregon. (AP Photo/Andrew Selsky) A family evacuated to the Oregon State Fairgrounds as wildfires roared through Marion County, September 9,2020 (KOIN) A family arrives with their two dogs and other precious belongings at an evacuation center that has been set up at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem, Oregon, on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. Red Cross spokesman Chad Carter said 600 evacuees had checked in by early Tuesday afternoon to the site, one of at least 10 fire evacuation centers in Oregon set up by the Red Cross. High winds kicked up wildfires across the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday, burning hundreds of thousands of acres, mostly destroying the small town of Malden in eastern Washington state and forcing evacuations and highway closures in Oregon. (AP Photo/Andrew Selsky) This photo taken by Talent, Ore., resident Kevin Jantzer shows the destruction of his hometown as wildfires ravaged the central Oregon town near Medford late Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. (Kevin Jantzer via AP) The Holiday Farm fire is seen burning in the mountains around McKenzie Bridge, Oregon on September 9, 2020. - Hundreds of homes including entire communities were razed by wildfires in the western United States on September 9 as officials warned of potential mass deaths under apocalyptic orange skies. At least five towns were "substantially destroyed" in Oregon as widespread evacuations took place across the northwestern state, governor Kate Brown said. (Photo by Tyee Burwell / AFP) (Photo by TYEE BURWELL/AFP via Getty Images) Wildfires burn in Oregon City overnight. Sept 8, 2020. (Courtesy: Collette Remsen-Harvey) A burned out house is seen after the passing of the Holiday Farm fire in McKenzie Bridge, Oregon on September 9, 2020. - Hundreds of homes including entire communities were razed by wildfires in the western United States on September 9 as officials warned of potential mass deaths under apocalyptic orange skies. At least five towns were "substantially destroyed" in Oregon as widespread evacuations took place across the northwestern state, governor Kate Brown said. (Photo by Tyee Burwell / AFP) (Photo by TYEE BURWELL/AFP via Getty Images) KALAMA, WA - SEPTEMBER 09: Tinted orange by wildfire smoke from Oregon and southern Washington, the sun sets behind a hill on September 9, 2020 in Kalama, Washington. Gov. Jay Inslee declared a statewide emergency as blazes continue to spread across the state. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images) PHOENIX, OR - SEPTEMBER 10: In this aerial view from a drone, a mobile home park destroyed by fire is seen on September 10, 2020 in Phoenix, Oregon. Hundreds of homes in the town have been lost due to wildfire. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images) PHOENIX, OR - SEPTEMBER 10: In this aerial view from a drone, people walk through a mobile home park destroyed by fire on September 10, 2020 in Phoenix, Oregon. Hundreds of homes in the town have been lost due to wildfire. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images) PHOENIX, OR - SEPTEMBER 10: A damaged car sits in a mobile home park destroyed by fire on September 10, 2020 in Phoenix, Oregon. Hundreds of homes in the town have been lost due to wildfire. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images) PHOENIX, OR - SEPTEMBER 10: Damaged homes and cars are seen in a mobile home park destroyed by fire on September 10, 2020 in Phoenix, Oregon. Hundreds of homes in the town have been lost due to wildfire. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images) A man holds his cat at an evacuation site set up in the parking lot of the Clackamas Town Center in Happy Valley, Oregon, on September 11, 2020. - More than 20,000 firefighters from across the United States battled sprawling deadly wildfires up and down the West Coast on September 11 as the arrival of cooler weather offered hope of a respite. The true scale of the destruction from dozens of massive blazes in California, Oregon and Washington states remained hard to gauge, with 16 deaths confirmed so far this week, but wide stretches still cut off by flames. (Photo by MATHIEU LEWIS-ROLLAND / AFP) (Photo by MATHIEU LEWIS-ROLLAND/AFP via Getty Images) A volunteer brings water to evacuees at an evacuation site set up in the parking lot of the Clackamas Town Center in Happy Valley, Oregon, on September 11, 2020. - More than 20,000 firefighters from across the United States battled sprawling deadly wildfires up and down the West Coast on September 11 as the arrival of cooler weather offered hope of a respite. The true scale of the destruction from dozens of massive blazes in California, Oregon and Washington states remained hard to gauge, with 16 deaths confirmed so far this week, but wide stretches still cut off by flames. (Photo by Mathieu LEWIS-ROLLAND / AFP) (Photo by MATHIEU LEWIS-ROLLAND/AFP via Getty Images) Dan Hammel, owner of Wildfire Protection Services, who provides fire support with his water tender truck, poses as he waits for his next assignment in Canby, Oregon, on September 11, 2020. - More than 20,000 firefighters from across the United States battled sprawling deadly wildfires up and down the West Coast on September 11 as the arrival of cooler weather offered hope of a respite. The true scale of the destruction from dozens of massive blazes in California, Oregon and Washington states remained hard to gauge, with 16 deaths confirmed so far this week, but wide stretches still cut off by flames. (Photo by Kathryn ELSESSER / AFP) (Photo by KATHRYN ELSESSER/AFP via Getty Images) MOLALLA, OR - SEPTEMBER 10: A spot fire smolders near a lumber yard on September 10, 2020 in Molalla, Oregon. Multiple wildfires grew by hundreds of thousands of acres Thursday, prompting large-scale evacuations throughout the state. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images) Marcelino Maceda displays a gold ring he found as he looks for keepsakes in the remains of his mobile home after a wildfire sweep through the R.V. park destroying multiple homes in Estacada, Oregon September 12, 2020. - US officials girded today for the possibility of mass fatalities from raging wildfires up and down the West Coast, as evacuees recounted the pain of leaving everything behind in the face of fast-moving flames. Dense smog from US wildfires that have burnt nearly five million acres and killed 27 people smothered the West Coast on September 12. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images) Margi Wyatt (R) is comforted by mobile home park manager Valerie after Wyatt returned to the R.V. park to find her home destroyed by wildfire, in Estacada, Oregon September 12, 2020. - US officials girded today for the possibility of mass fatalities from raging wildfires up and down the West Coast, as evacuees recounted the pain of leaving everything behind in the face of fast-moving flames. Dense smog from US wildfires that have burnt nearly five million acres and killed 27 people smothered the West Coast on September 12. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images) TOPSHOT - Marcelino Maceda looks for items in the remains of his mobile home after a wildfire swept through the R.V. park destroying multiple homes in Estacada, Oregon September 12, 2020. - US officials girded today for the possibility of mass fatalities from raging wildfires up and down the West Coast, as evacuees recounted the pain of leaving everything behind in the face of fast-moving flames. Dense smog from US wildfires that have burnt nearly five million acres and killed 27 people smothered the West Coast on September 12. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images) Cows are grazing surrounded by thick smoke from wildfires near Oregon City, Oregon September 12, 2020. - US officials girded today for the possibility of mass fatalities from raging wildfires up and down the West Coast, as evacuees recounted the pain of leaving everything behind in the face of fast-moving flames. Dense smog from US wildfires that have burnt nearly five million acres and killed 27 people smothered the West Coast on September 12. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images) Kristopher Smith holds his dog Tripp outside his tent at an evacuation center at the Milwaukie-Portland Elks Lodge, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Oak Grove, Ore. Smith evacuated from Molalla, Oregon which was threatened by the Riverside Fire. (AP Photo/John Locher) The Portland Oregon Old Town sign is seen under heavy smoke from the wildfires creating an orange glow over Portland, Ore., Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020. Wildfire smoke that poses a health hazard to millions is choking the West Coast as firefighters battle deadly blazes. The flames have obliterated some towns and displaced tens of thousands of people in California and Oregon. (AP Photo/Lindsay Whitehurst) Oregon firefighters at the scene at OR-22 east of Salem to Detroit, Sept. 15, 2020. (Oregon Office of Emergency Management) A camp host at Fishermen's Bend Recreation Site recovered his charred name plaque after flames from the Beachie Creek Fire destroyed his cabin in Mill City, Oregon on September 13, 2020. - The wildfire caused the evacuation of 40,000 residents, killing four people and five are still missing (Photo by Rob SCHUMACHER / POOL / AFP) Firefighters in Detroit, Oregon, Sept. 16, 2020. (Courtesy of Idanha Detroit Fire) A US flag is seen flying amid charred cars and structures which were destroyed in the Almeda Fire at a trailer park on September 16, 2020 in Talent, Oregon. - Devastating wildfires that have ravaged the US West Coast continued to rage on September 16 as smoke from the deadly blazes spread across the country and even reached Europe. (Photo by Paula Bronstein / AFP) (Photo by PAULA BRONSTEIN/AFP via Getty Images) KERBY, OR - AUGUST 3: Firefighter Jose Martinez, from Ontario, Oregon, puts out a hot spot from a controlled burn to make a fire line in the Siskiyou National Forest August 3,2002 outside of Kerby, Oregon. The188,000 acre fire is 5 percent contained but continues to threaten nearly 17,000 residents of the Illinois Valley. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The historic fires burned nearly 1.2 million acres of Oregon's land according to to the state’s office of emergency management. Wildfire smoke gave Portland and much of western Oregon the title of the worst air quality in the world for days.
For those dealing with more than just the smoke, an estimated 500,000 -- more than 10% of the state's 4.2 million people -- were in an evacuation zone. Entire Oregon towns where cleared from the map.
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The burnt trees and houseless lots can still be seen today through Oregon's Cascades. The rebuilding process is going strong for many residents, but the memory and continued threat of wildfires still remains.