Wildfire Recovery Spotlight: Carrillo Woods LLC

Fabiola Carrillo in front of her company’s truck.

In 2020, Fabiola Carrillo and her dad, Arturo, of Medford lost their home in the Almeda Fire. Not only did the disaster destroy their residence, but it also crushed their dream for the future: starting a new business.

Arturo, who had been working in the forest industry for over 20 years, was beginning to start his own forestry and lawn care company, investing in equipment and planning for the future, when the fire struck. He lost everything and had to start from zero.

For a long time after the fire, they moved between hotels and stayed with family and friends while trying to get back on their feet. At the same time, housing prices increased, making it even harder to think about restarting a business. At that point, their focus was simply on rebuilding their lives.

Eventually, they were able to get a new place in the same community and launched their new business, Carrillo Woods LLC, in 2025. Now, they’ve been able to grow the company more thanks in part to the ReOregon Planning, Infrastructure, and Economic Revitalization (PIER) program.

“Receiving the PIER grant made a major difference for us,” Fabiola said. “It allowed us to purchase equipment, invest back into the business, and begin taking on more work. Carrillo Woods LLC is more than just a business for us. It’s something very personal that came out of loss, resilience, and a desire to give back to our community.”

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) administers the PIER program, which provides Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help Oregon communities recover from the 2020 Labor Day Disasters. These funds are awarded to nonprofits, schools, local governments, and other qualified entities to support projects that address unmet planning, economic revitalization, and critical infrastructure needs, ensuring communities can rebuild and be better prepared for future challenges.

Photo of Ronald DeAvilla inside his house

“Carrillo Woods LLC is more than just a business for us. It’s something very personal that came out of loss, resilience, and a desire to give back to our community.”

To date, 28 microgrants of up to $15,000 and two small business loans up to $50,000 each have been distributed by the Illinois Valley Community Development Organization (IVCanDo) in Jackson County.

Thanks to this funding, Carrillo Woods is planning to become more involved in the forestry industry, especially in reforestation. Their goal is not only to reduce wildfire risk through mitigation work, but also to help restore the land by supporting healthy forest regrowth after fires.

Their services include wildfire mitigation, defensible space, brush clearing, and land management—work that is especially important after what their community experienced in 2020.

“We are truly grateful for programs like the PIER grant that support small businesses impacted by wildfires,” Fabiola Carrillo said. “This opportunity has helped us rebuild not just a business, but a future. We are committed to continuing to grow, serve our community, and make a lasting impact in Southern Oregon.”

To learn more about HARP and other ReOregon programs, visit re.oregon.gov or call the ReOregon Call Center at 877-510-6800 or 541-250-0938.