Firefighter comes home to find house and new boat destroyed

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    MARION COUNTY, Ore. (KPTV) — A firefighter from Detroit returned home from fighting wildfires to find his home a total loss.

Don Tesdal says there was fire and downed trees all around as he and his family escaped the Lionshead Fire, which has burned more than 148,000 acres.

Tesdal says he has been on the front lines of the wildfire since last week trying to save other peoples’ homes and businesses. Now, his own home is gone.

He posted video on social video of returning to his property, as well as his new boat, which was also destroyed, and his entire chicken coop.

“This is all that’s left of my house,” Tesdal said in the video.

Tesdal said when he arrived to see his property, it was more than he could take.

“It’s horrible, what went on there, there’s no color left,” Tesdal said. “Everyone that lives up there lives up there because of the color and we have beautiful trees, a beautiful lake. A beautiful community, it’s special.”

Tesdal says he had already seen a lot of devastation before the, but seeing his home and neighborhood destroyed was heartbreaking.

Tesdal says they will rebuild as a community and come back even stronger.

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