Paul Clement makes his way through his property along Fall Creek Road in Estacada. Eight months after the Riverside Fire burned through the area, greenery is visible.
Paul Clement makes his way through his property along Fall Creek Road in Estacada. Eight months after the Riverside Fire burned through the area, greenery is visible.
PMG Photo: Jaime Valdez
Paul Clement protected the new trees he planted from blustery winds by using branches from trees that burned in the Riverside Fire.
PMG Photo: Jaime Valdez
In the aftermath of the Riverside fire, Paul Clement had to clear numerous trees that had been charred by the flames.
Courtesy Photo: Paul Clement
Many trees on Paul Clement's Estacada property burned in the Riverside Fire.
Courtesy Photo: Paul Clement
The entrance to the Mt. Hood National Forest on Highway 224 remains closed to the public in the aftermath of the Riverside Fire.
In the aftermath of the Riverside Fire, Paul Clement's property has gone through a transformation. As Clement walked through his 19 acres in Estacada eight months after the 138,000-acre blaze ripped through the area, patches of green were visible through the dirt and charred trees.
"It's been a constant metamorphosis of change," Clement said. "First there was the fire, and then finding flames afterward. Two months later there was nothing but charred stuff on the ground. Then it was a 'shrapnel meadow,'" he said, referring to the burned branches and detritus on the ground, left over from both the fire and the work afterward to repair his property. "Now it's green with life. Green is a refreshing phase."
In September, the Riverside Fire began on the Mt. Hood National Forest and came within a half-mile of Estacada city limits. Its footprint was 92 times the area of the city of Estacada, and burned more than 10% of Clackamas County's land base.
The fire reached 100% containment Friday, Dec. 4, and at the height of the incident, 500 people from across the country were working to contain the flames.
There were no fatalities from the Riverside and nearby Dowty Road fires, but 150 structures in the Estacada area were lost — including 50 homes. Sections of the Mt. Hood National Forest remain closed as officials clear debris and ensure the area's safety.
Though the flames from Riverside Fire burned large swaths of Clement's property on Fall Creek Road, his home was not damaged.
After evacuating with his family in early September, Clement returned to his property and joined other community members in extinguishing flames in the area. In the months after the fire, neighbors have continued to support one another by planting trees and lending machinery.
"Our neighbors have been working their tails off," Clement said.
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Fire and ice
Several months after the Riverside Fire was contained, Clackamas County was blanketed in snow and ice during a storm in February. County government issued a state of emergency because of the conditions. Heavy ice closed roads, and more than 100,000 residents lost power.
Portland General Electric described the incident as one of the most destructive freezing rain events in four decades.
In Estacada, trees on Clement's property that already had been weakened by the fire began falling under the blustery winter weather.
He noted that the weather conditions were much stronger than what the area typically sees in the winter.
"There's been so much wind. The weather this year is some that we've simply not had before. There's been sustained winds of unimaginable velocity," he said.
During the storm, a neighbor's roof started coming off, potentially because heat from the fire caused the metal to loosen.
"The joke is that the fire is the gift that keeps on giving," Clement said.
Rebuilding after the flames
Clement estimates he lost more than 2,000 trees as a result of the Riverside Fire. Prior to replanting, he used an excavator and a forestry machine to clear the debris left behind.
"We lost acres of mature, good trees," he said. "It's been work, work, work. I was constantly cutting stuff down and raking."
Several hot spots continued to smolder and burn on the property.
"I got a 100-gallon water tank and stayed with them until 2 a.m.," Clement said, describing one night he spent under the stars to ensure the area's safety.
Prior to the Riverside Fire, the property mainly consisted of Douglas fir trees, and Clement replanted with valley pines. He estimates that in several decades, the new forest on his property will be evenly split between the two species.
"Now, we wait and see what trees live and replant as needed. So far, the new trees are doing pretty good," Clement said.
Walking through the property in the aftermath of the Riverside Fire, Clement said he feels "disbelief and guilt"
"Could I have protected it better? It was a cataclysmic event that no one could have imagined. On the one hand, there's only so much you can do. On the other hand, you can always do more," he said.
As he explored the property this spring, the ground was wet from a recent rain and greenery could be seen among burned tree stumps. The small, recently planted trees have been marked with sticks to ensure they are not run over. Clement also used branches from the burned trees to shelter them from the wind.
He said he's excited to see what the future will bring to the area.
"Planting is an arduous task. You find yourself daydreaming about what this will look like in 20 years."
