This story was originally published by Canary Media.
Carole and Alan Balzer have called the town of Talent home since 1998. They met in college in nearby Ashland and never left southwestern Oregon. They love the small-town life and the bucolic setting of orchards, vineyards, and ranches.
On the morning of Sept. 8, 2020, Carole was at work a few towns away when she heard that a fire had ignited in ...
The strongest version of this narrative highlights how disaster recovery can be leveraged to advance long-term resilience and sustainability. Oregon’s response to the Almeda Fire demonstrates the power of incentives to align rebuilding with climate and energy goals, turning tragedy into an opportunity for progress. The state’s use of pandemic relief funds and utility partnerships to encourage energy-efficient construction is a model for balancing urgency with foresight. However, the uneven recov...