Volunteers help brighten day in a town still in recovery
By Holly Dillemuth, Ashland.news
As drivers passed by Bee Sweet Blooms in Phoenix early on Monday morning, the fifth anniversary of the Almeda Fire, sunflowers dotted the sidewalk in buckets out front of the local flower shop, owned by Deanna Mulaskey.
Mulaskey and Alexandra Zweig placed the bright yellow blooms in buckets along the sidewalk in front of Phoenix businesses, welcoming passersby to downtown during a week that for many in Southern Oregon can be a heavy one. The tradition is technically in its fifth year and started with Urban Uprise Farm, owned by the Shipley family. The Shipleys have operated the U-Pick sunflower farm and farmstand on Houston Road in Phoenix since 2018, and following the Almeda Fire, lined the streets of Phoenix in the aftermath of the fire.
“My family, we lost everything on Hartley (Road) between Phoenix and Talent,” Zweig said. Later on in the interview, she pointed to Facebook photos of Sept. 8, 2020, on her iPhone.
Zweig said she and her family lived in a travel trailer for two years following the fire, moving into their new home in December 2022.
Inspired that first year by Urban Uprise Farm’s distribution of sunflowers for the community, Zweig said she also started to grow pollinator flowers. With some extra on hand, she was among those who gathered and distributed flowers in vases along the curb in front of the Oregon Cheese Cave.
Alexandra Zweig looks at photos she posted on Facebook five years ago of planes dropping fire retardant on her home, which was later destroyed by the Almeda Fire. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
When 1st Phoenix Community Center Outreach Coordinator, Carolyna Marshall, returned to her home nine days after evacuating from her Phoenix home in 2020, there was a bucket of sunflowers and another and another and another lining the curbs.
The following year, Marshall wanted to return the favor.
“That first year (anniversary) we lined Main Street (with sunflowers) and everybody helped,” Marshall said.
This is the second year that the sunflower distribution tradition is combined with volunteers in Talent, led and coordinated by Marshall in conjunction with Cheryl Lashley of Talent.
Mulaskey, who opened the flower shop in May 2021, was evacuated from her Second Street home in Phoenix, she recalled.
Carolyna Marshall distributes sunflower bouquets around Phoenix on Monday. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
“We didn’t lose our house, but we were evacuated for nine days,” Mulaskey said.
Mulaskey recalled parking near Colver Park and having to sneak back into her neighborhood, as residents were kept away from their homes for a time due to the danger of potential looters.
“It was like the apocalypse,” Zweig said.
Mulaskey shared that she felt guilty knowing her home survived while others, like the house directly across from hers, did not.
But Mulaskey also recalled returning to her home welcomed by the sunflowers lining the streets nearby, noting that the gesture was “like one small, beautiful thing in this whole smoky mess.”
Buckets of sunflowers decorate Main Street in Phoenix on Monday morning. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Matthew Havniear, executive director of the Jackson County Community Longterm Recovery Group helped hand out small bouquets of flowers to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Almeda Fire. Courtesy photo
Ever since then, Mulaskey has wanted to carry forward the tradition.
She hopes it provides a level of healing and comfort for people, especially when the right words can be hard to find to address the level of grief people have and are experiencing.
“That’s why we really like flowers,” Mulaskey said.
Marshall drove up to the curb as volunteers set out more flowers. Wearing a vibrantly colored long coat adorned with sunflowers, she opened the door, presenting volunteers with even more of the sunny blooms. Four buckets of sunflowers were donated this year by Shipley of Urban Uprise Farm. The 1st Phoenix Presbyterian Church also donated more than $200 in flowers for the occasion.
Five years after the fire, Marshall noted, “There’s still people who aren’t home.”
Despite her colorful getup, she admitted the day before the anniversary and the morning of had been heavy for her, as it still likely is for many impacted by the fire.
Volunteers aim for the sunflowers to brighten what otherwise would be a heavy week of remembrance, in addition to navigating post-Almeda Fire life.
Alexandra Zweig looks at photos she posted on Facebook five years ago of planes dropping fire retardant on her home, which was later destroyed by the Almeda fire. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Sunflowers were donated by Urban Uprise Farm and 1st Phoenix Presbyterian Church for the annual flower distribution held in downtown Phoenix on Monday. The annual event aims to provide hope, healing, and comfort to survivors and those impacted by the Almeda Fire. Ashland.news photo by Holly Dillemuth
Marshall also noted tensions that can exist among fire survivors of all levels, and those adjacent to survivors.
“Some people want to come and ring the bell and drink coffee together and flower the streets,” Marshall said.
Others are still deep in trauma and can actually be triggered by seeing flowers or events commemorating the anniversary, according to Marshall.
Balancing the ‘heavy burden of neighbors’ with the ‘momentum of recovery’
Matthew Havniear, executive director of the Jackson County Community Longterm Recovery Group, arrived to contribute a small bouquet of flowers to the mix.
“I feel a heavy burden of the neighbors who went through this … and those who are still in recovery,” Havniear said.
Havniear acknowledges that the days surrounding the Almeda Fire anniversary can potentially trigger the trauma felt deeply by many fire survivors and those impacted by it, and he encouraged those impacted to take in the anniversary and the week as gently as possible.
“Everybody has a different way of processing and coping with loss and trauma from wildfires or other disasters and I think it’s most important for people to know what is healthy for them, and what isn’t, and have boundaries so they can honor and remember in a way that doesn’t retraumatize or trigger, in a way that is healthy for them to do so,” Havniear said. “That looks different for everybody.”
Charlie Hall’s physical education class picked up blooms on their way back to Phoenix High School on Monday. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
The JCCLRG recently hosted a two-day storytelling event that allowed for many survivors to share their stories. Many of the stories may appear in a play being written based on memories of the fire. The event, facilitated by Ashland author Marc Yaconelli, was deemed so successful by organizers, the group plans to host one in spring 2026, with a date to be determined.
Havniear also commented on the recovery that has “scaled up” in Phoenix during the last five years.
“Obviously recovery is a long process and starts slow,” he said. “As the months and years go by, the pace of recovery picks up and we’re seeing that now. We’ve started seeing that in the last couple of years.”
Havniear also noted that programs that have take some time to develop are now operational.
“We’re seeing results of those, so recovery is definitely picked up and I think that what we have left is to just complete the plans and the programs to support fire survivors and get everybody to the finish line,” Havniear said.
Alexandra Zweig (left) and Deanna Mulaskey set out sunflowers Monday morning along North Main Street in Phoenix, a tradition that started a few days after the Almeda fire devastated Phoenix and Talent. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
“The nature of recovery is different for every community – Even Phoenix and Talent being close to each other have different recoveries,” Havniear added. “The process of rebuilding also is rebuilding new and building stronger and more resilient communities and neighborhoods and that’s what we see in our recovery.”
“It can be a very long process and we see that in every community that suffers the scale of loss we’ve had.”
He expressed pride at how far the community has come, nonetheless.
Deanna Mulaskey placed a bouquet in front of Cha Cha’s, and other businesses in Phoenix, on Monday. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
“I feel hope that we’ll continue the momentum,” Havniear said.
He reminds fire survivors that “we’re still here and we’re still committed to helping to the end.”
Marshall noted that this year, she’s seen increased unity among the cities of Phoenix and Talent as both cities remember the fire.
“Cheryl Lashley has really joined Phoenix and Talent together,” Marshall said. “She really has embraced that. We’re doing similar things together. We’re going to do empty bowls at 1st Presbyterian (this fall).
“That combines us … I love that,” Marshall said.
Bee Sweet Blooms owner Deanna Mulaskey touches up a sign inviting passersby to take a flower on Monday. Distributing sunflowers on the anniversary of the Almeda fire has become a tradition in Phoenix and Talent. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Marshall crossed the street to place a vase of flowers on the doorstep of the local Figaro’s Pizza franchise, in addition to Moxie Brew and a new shop selling shaved ice.
She then drove to Phoenix High School, where she dropped off flowers at the front desk of the school, and then greeted teacher and coach Charlie Hall and his class of about 20 students, all of whom had just walked over to pick sunflowers from the vases downtown. The group posed for a photo just outside the school.
“We’re just grateful to have this opportunity to give back to the community and enjoy our community,” Hall said, “and watch it blossom out of the ashes.”
For more information about the Jackson County Longterm Recovery Group and the programs they offer, go online to jccltrg.org.
Carolyna Marshall (right) drops off a bouquet of sunflowers at the Phoenix High School front office on Monday. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
This is one in a series of stories about the Almeda Fire’s fifth anniversary.
Reach Ashland.news reporter Holly Dillemuth at [email protected].
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