At the Out鈥榥鈥橝bout Treehouse Treesort south of Cave Junction, intricate wooden houses emerge from towering trees, kids dash across hanging bridges 鈥� and ash trickles from a pale orange sky.
The Smith River Complex is burning just southwest of the small community of Takilma where the treehouse hotel is located. The business is shrouded in smoke.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not that nice,鈥� said Michael Garnier, the owner and head 鈥榚ntreepreneur鈥� of the treesort. 鈥淚t鈥檚 unhealthy.鈥�
Garnier started his business more than 30 years ago, and what began as a simple bed and breakfast grew into a treehouse experience complete with horseback-riding, ziplining and rafting.
Now, his resort has had 10 cancellations in just three days. Garnier had to cancel an event he had planned for the weekend, which would鈥檝e included music, food and vending and a comedic 鈥渕edicine鈥� show by Garnier himself.
Garnier said business has already been unpredictable these last few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Summer is the busiest season, but it鈥檚 the shoulder seasons 鈥� like September 鈥� that really determine whether he鈥檒l turn a profit. He said next month was looking good, but with the arrival of wildfire smoke, his optimism has taken a hit.
Despite the smoke and the nearby road closure, some people still made it out to their vacation in the trees, folks that Garnier called 鈥渢rue die-hard treehouse lovers.鈥�
On Thursday afternoon, the treehouse resort was under a level one 鈥� 鈥済et ready鈥� 鈥� evacuation notice. Garnier is ready; he said he鈥檚 familiar with evacuations from past wildfire experiences, and he鈥檚 irrigated his fields with a system he鈥檚 going to use higher up on his property now that there are evacuation warnings. But he can鈥檛 control what happens outside his property.
鈥淚f there happens to be a fire that crowns from the south, gets into my trees that my treehouses are in, I鈥檓 toast,鈥� Garnier said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 gonna devastate me.鈥�
By Thursday evening, Takilma, where Garnier鈥檚 resort is located, had been upgraded to a level two, 鈥済et set鈥� evacuation warning. The sun was blood red, shining through the thick smoke, and local residents were packing up their belongings into their cars, getting ready to leave.
A celebrated sausage store loses its core customers
Highway 199 is how many people from Southern Oregon get to the beach.
It starts in Grants Pass, heading through the Illinois Valley, and traveling over the coast range before ending right in the middle of the redwood forest near Crescent City, California.
A common stop for people along the way is Taylor鈥檚 Sausage, a local deli with all different kinds of jerkies, bacon and of course, sausages.
鈥淲e came to Cave Junction in 1970,鈥� said Charles Taylor, a third generation sausage maker. 鈥淎nd then our company will be 100 years old next year.鈥�
Taylor came to Southern Oregon with his wife Marilyn from Oakland, California.
鈥淣ormally you come in here right now and you wait, there鈥檚 a line here and this place is packed, and the patio too,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd look at鈥� what are there, a half a dozen people in here right now? If we鈥檙e lucky.鈥�
Taylor said he鈥檚 seen less than half his regular business since the Smith River Complex fires began. The wildfires shut down Highway 199 for at least a week, cutting off Taylor鈥檚 and other businesses鈥� vital connection to a steady stream of tourists and customers.
Taylor is in the process of making a major expansion of the country store. A huge area behind the store has been covered with a large metal roof. The place is still very bare, and full of construction materials.
鈥淭his will be closed off. Ice cream counter down her,鈥� Taylor pointed to all the different parts of the new area. 鈥淎nd there will be a big hot case here, salads, etcetera.鈥�
Taylor said the expansion is costing them around $4 million dollars. Their kitchen is currently too small to meet demand, so customers end up having to wait for their food.
There are plans to include a fine dining restaurant in the huge basement below, with an extravagant spiral staircase built around a huge tree trunk. But because of the wildfire and the economy, money has gotten a lot tighter.
鈥淣ow we鈥檙e stopping,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e running out of money. And interest is through the roof.鈥�
He said because of the lack of tourists, they鈥檙e also looking at furloughing over half the staff working at the store. Luckily, locals have been supportive through the challenging times.
鈥淲e have a very good following, a very loyal following.鈥� He said. 鈥淎nd they鈥檝e been good to us, god bless them.鈥�
Wildland firefighters have also been coming into the store recently, a line of business Taylor doesn鈥檛 typically see.
And hope is coming. Starting on Monday, the California Highway Patrol will begin escorting travelers through the closed section of Highway 199 twice a day, depending on the fire conditions.
Taylor said they鈥檝e been through other wildfires before, and he hopes they鈥檒l remain resilient through the Smith River Complex as well.
鈥淓verybody start praying that this thing is taken care of,鈥� he said. 鈥淐ause it鈥檚 hurting our whole town, everybody here.鈥�
