Westerville man in need of help after being evacuated by Oregon wildfire

WESTERVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) — One man is left without a home in Oregon and is now asking his hometown for help.

Brett Burleigh was born and raised in Westerville and said he moved to Oregon five years ago after retiring. 

Recently, he was one of the many victims of the Holiday Farm Fire that broke out unexpectedly. He said he didn’t expect to be one of the many people leaving his neighborhood. 

“It was Monday evening, Labor Day’” he said. 

He said fire crews knocked on his door, telling him he had minutes to leave. He said all he took was his wallet and car. For an entire week, he was unsure what was left of his home and his neighbors’ homes. 

“We all figured we would be back in the morning,” Burleigh said.

However, once he received pictures of his home, he was in shock after the damage he saw. 

“My windows were blown out, my door to get in is gone,” Burleigh said. “Everything. My whole lot. My 8×8 shed is just a pile of ash.”

He said the Red Cross has relocated him to a hotel for now, but it’s still unclear if the wildlife is still active in his neighborhood. 

All he knows is that the recent rain has been helping firefighters during this time, but he’s now allowed to go back to the property just yet. 

His son Brandon Burleigh is now asking for his father’s Ohio hometown’s help to get him back on his feet. 

“Every little bit helps,” said Brett Burleigh. 

To donate, contact Mr. Burleigh directly at (740) 833-5453.