MOLALLA, Ore. — After wildfires in 2020 destroyed their home, a Molalla family is getting a new one thanks to Clackamas County volunteers helping the community recover.
Shilah James who's home was damaged by wildfire, remembers the evacuations vividly.
"We only could take our goats and our horses to the Clackamas County Fairgrounds and we were the last to return after about 2 weeks," said James.
Her home home was damaged beyond repair.
"It was pretty traumatic, it was pretty upsetting, shocking not knowing that to do," said James.
The Clackamas County Long Term Recovery Group was formed two years ago, Pat Olsen said, the chair of the program.
The program is funded largely by private businesses and non-profits and serves as a lifeline in the wake of the 2020 wildfires.
"Our help includes actually home build, all the the way from permitting to land use," said Olsen.
The recovery group was able to rebuilt James's home from the ground up in about 8 months, on the same property her old home used to stand.
James and her daughter now have a place to call home again in their beloved community.
"I have relatives all around here, I grew up here, over 51st cousins" said James. "So it's a pretty neat history and we're thankful to be able to stay here."
James's home, is the second home the Clackamas County Long Term Recovery Group has rebuilt for a family since the 2020 wildfires. The group is now working on rebuilding a third home.