OLA, Idaho — Bubba McClure, who dedicates his life to helping others full-time with Parma Rural Fire and as a volunteer firefighter with Ola and Sand Hollow, was on the other end of the life-saving service last week.
"[My wife and I] were asleep about an hour," he said. "And all of a sudden, started getting people beating on our door and sirens going on outside our trailer."
Firefighters awoke the couple Thursday. McClure said the two fell asleep after a long night on the front lines fighting the Paddock Fire, which has burned nearly 200,000 acres.
"Our house was completely engulfed," he said.
McClure, his wife, and their four kids moved into the home earlier this year. Thankfully, he said the kids were at his brother's house in Emmett.
In the aftermath, there has been an outpouring of support for the family — from McClure's fire departments, family friends and strangers.
"We put a post on Facebook that this happened," said Toby Robinson, Sand Hollow Fire chief, "[thinking] maybe someone would be able to make some donations and help the family out, and it really just kind of exploded."
The Caldwell Night Rodeo donated all the tips from Tuesday's first responder night to the family, which was the same night McClure helped carry the American Flag into the area.
"It was very emotional," he said, "just being able to be a part of that and knowing that I'm still alive."
The Emmett School District, where most of the children go to school, also pitched in — donating school supplies and covering certain fees for the year.
"We are fully invested in the success of our students and their families," a spokesperson wrote in an email to KTVB. "Some of our own experienced an unimaginable loss, and we were happy to help support them. We helped because the McClure family is part of our family here at Emmett School District."
The Yard Foundation, a nonprofit that helps firefighters in need, set up a fundraiser for the family.
As they work to rebuild their life, McClure said they will continue helping neighbors affected by the fire. The fire, which is more than 90% contained, also burned several outbuildings and scorched many ranches.
"This isn't the first fire that's come through Ola," he said. "We all tend to pitch in up there and help each other out. And so, it's just now rebuilding everything again."
During the interview with KTVB, McClure commended the hard work of those who fought the fire and did not let the slim resources deter them.
"I heard people saying there weren't any firefighters up there fighting that fire," he said. "There's a huge amount of firefighters up there, the firefighters and ranchers and just civilian people up there fighting this fire."