Firefighters respond to a fire at Portland City Councilor Candace Avalos' home in the Mill Park neighborhood of Portland, Ore., on Oct. 26, 2025.
Courtesy of Dennis Weis via Portland Fire & Rescue
Investigators with Portland Fire & Rescue say it’s not clear whether City Council member Candace Avalos was the intended target of the Sunday fire at her Southeast Portland home.
“At this time, there is no evidence to suggest the fire was specifically targeting Councilor Avalos,” reads a press release sent by the Portland Police Bureau and Fire Bureau Monday afternoon.
Police responded to calls of a fire at a house in the Mill Park neighborhood around 2:40 a.m. Sunday, and found several vehicles and a carport in flames. In a social media post, Avalos also said her house was on fire. She said she and her pet cat escaped the house unharmed.
Fire investigators have since found that the fire did not originate in Avalos’ car or home. They say the fire began in a storage shed next to her house. The flames also impacted other nearby homes.
Investigators have not found any evidence of an accelerant or incendiary device, which would suggest the fire may have been set intentionally.
Avalos has declined to comment on the incident.
A GoFundMe account set up by Avalos’ friends yesterday has raised more than $14,000 to cover the cost of a rental car, temporary housing, and other basic needs following the fire.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and city councilors released a joint statement Sunday, saying they are working with Avalos to “provide her with the resources and security she needs.”
It’s not clear if the city has enhanced any security measures in response to the fire. A spokesperson for the city’s security division said they can’t provide details of security plans.
This is the second time in under two years that a city council member has experienced a fire at their house. In January 2024, someone set fire to a car belonging to the father of then-city commissioner Rene Gonzalez outside of his house. Police have yet to identify a suspect in that case.
Gonzalez posted a message on social media Sunday evening expressing sympathy to Avalos. “No one should have to endure such trauma,” he wrote.
