The Oregon Department of Emergency Management will provide $3.5 million to help Wasco County clean up debris from June’s devastating Rowena wildfire, Gov. Tina Kotek’s office said Friday.

The funding will make it possible for the county to “rapidly clear hazardous debris through a coordinated operation that protects cleanup workers and the environment while helping affected residents move forward with rebuilding,” the statement said.

The announcement appears to make good on the governor’s promise in August that the state would take care of the clean-up at no charge to the fire’s victims.

“Now Wasco County has the resources to move forward, and we’re going to see more progress for families who have been waiting to rebuild,” Kotek said in the statement.

In June, the Rowena fire ripped th

See Full Page