Oregon Country Fair organizers will look to breathe new life into the organization’s iconic dragon structure after a fire damaged it two weeks ago.

Volunteers constructed the quirky, thatch-covered structure in 1991. The dragon structure houses security and the country fair’s “alter-abled” assistance program during the three-day event.

“There’s no doubt that it has a long-term emotional place in our hearts,” said Charlie Ruff, the fair’s general manager.

The fire occurred the night of March 13 or morning of March 14, but it was out by the time fair organizers discovered the damage. The “head” and “tail” of the dragon structure were intact but the body was heavily damaged.

Ruff said the Veneta area site is closed for the winter, and a caretaker found nothing amiss when he made his rounds on March 13.

Terry Ney, chief of the Lane Fire Authority, said an investigator found materials at the scene that could be used as kindling.

“Our best guess is that the fire was set deliberately, but we can’t definitely prove that,” he said.

Ney said there’s also no way to tell if someone set a warming fire that got out of control or committed arson. The case is now closed.

Ruff said workers are busy cleaning up fallen trees and other damage that occurred during the snow and ice storm in February. This year’s fair runs from July 11 to 13.

Ruff said organizers plan to do “something fun and funky” to build on what’s left of the dragon structure.

“From the ashes rise the phoenix, or the dragon as the case may be,” Ruff said.