CTWS Bench Wildfire Evacuation & Donation Response
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs is transitioning from an emergency wildfire response to longer-term recovery following the Bench Fire and its impacts across the reservation. The Bench and Beachcomb fires both began on July 23, 2026, after a lightning storm moved through the Warm Springs Reservation. The fires merged on July 25th, prompting evacuation levels for the most populated areas of the community.
Caroline Cruz, Chief Operations Officer for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, helped coordinate the Tribe’s response during the evacuation period. Working under the direction of the Emergency Manager, Cruz helped establish evacuation sites and coordinate volunteers, food, shelter and other resources.
With some areas of the reservation under Level 3 evacuation orders, the Tribe established multiple locations to provide shelter for community members. The old school cafeteria was used for families, while other facilities provided accommodations for people with mobility issues and elders. Motel rooms were also secured for evacuees.
At the height of the response, the Tribe was providing approximately 300 meals a day, including breakfast, lunch and dinner. Cruz said many people chose to return home once they determined they were outside the immediate fire area, but the Tribe continued providing meals and other assistance.
The emergency response also grew into a large donation and distribution effort. Cruz said she has documented 219 individuals, organizations, agencies and departments that contributed donations or assistance, although she believes the actual number is significantly higher.
Donations came from across Oregon, other states and tribal communities. Items included bottled water, non-perishable food, household cleaning supplies, emergency kits, N95 masks, pet food, clothing, diapers and hay for livestock. Financial assistance, including $5,000 in gift cards from the Klamath Tribes, was used to help residents in areas most affected by the fire, including communities that experienced extended power outages.
Cruz said the response demonstrated the strength of relationships built between Warm Springs and surrounding communities, as well as tribal and government partners. Donation collection efforts were organized in Portland, Bend and Redmond, while volunteers from Madras, Prineville, Bend, Redmond and other communities came to Warm Springs to help.
The Tribe is now working to transition the distribution operation to Emergency Management while reorganizing space at the old elementary school. Cruz said the community still has significant needs, but the immediate challenge is managing the large volume of donations already received.
The Tribe is also beginning to plan how wildfire recovery funds will be distributed. Cruz said damage assessments are underway and will help determine how assistance is allocated. The assessment will include burned homes and structures, fences, agricultural impacts and potentially smoke damage.
Cruz estimates the wildfire caused damages that could reach into the millions of dollars. She said the recovery fund, which is over $300,000, will not cover all losses, but the Tribe will work to distribute the available resources as fairly as possible.
She also noted that the fire destroyed grassland needed for livestock grazing, creating a significant need for hay and other livestock supplies through the winter.
As Warm Springs moves forward, Cruz said the focus will shift from immediate emergency response to organizing recovery efforts, while continuing to make sure donated resources reach community members who need them most.
Donated clothing items, in all sizes, will be available to community members, this Thursday, August 13, 2026, at the Thursday Market that takes place weekly on Thursdays 10:30am – 2pm at the Campus Pavilion.
Below is the link to our interview with Caroline Cruz, CTWS Chief Operations Officer.
KWSO Radio · Caroline Cruz CTWS COO Bench Fire Response – KWSO Warm Springs Program Podcast