COBB, Calif. – A Christmas morning fire damaged a Cobb home and destroyed a motorhome parked nearby.
The fire at 949 Pamela Drive in Cobb was reported just after 11 a.m. Wednesday, according to Cal Fire Battalion Chief Greg Bertelli.
Bertelli said the home was 50-percent involved by the time firefighters from Cal Fire and South Lake County Fire arrived on scene.
He said the family that lived in the two story home got out of it safely, accompanied by all of their pets.
Firefighters were able to hold the fire to the half of the home that was burning when they arrived, but Bertelli estimated 70 percent of the residence had fire and smoke damage.
Due to concerns about the fire's potential to spread into the nearby wildland, Bertelli said a Cal Fire helicopter from Howard Forest was brought in to assist.
While the home itself wasn't a total loss, a motorhome parked next to it was destroyed, Bertelli said.
Bertelli said firefighters had to contend with numerous small propane tanks that were exploding, with some of the explosions believed to have been tires on the motorhome.
“That hindered our operation a little bit,” he said.
He said firefighters contained the fire in about an hour.
Bertelli said the fire's cause remains under investigation.
“It looks like it may have started from the outside of the house,” he said.
The residents were not referred to Red Cross for housing assistance, as they have relatives next door who are offering them a place to stay, according to Bertelli.
Radio reports estimated that mop up and overhaul would take three hours.
Bertelli asked community members to continue to exercise special caution due to the year's abnormally dry conditions and the resulting potential for fires.
Although it's now winter – not normally a time associated with fires – Cal Fire this year extended the fire season to Dec. 16, with the lack of rain and potential for fires continuing to be a concern for officials.
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