Southern Colorado family loses home and 2 cats to wildfire

Holly, Colo. (KKTV) - Firefighters in Prowers County battled five different wildfires Sunday afternoon. Two of those fires were started by lightning. The other three are considered suspicious.

One southern Colorado family lost almost everything to the flames.

“Being in an emergency is very normal for them, but this was not just close to home, this was their home, and it’s gone.” says Rhiannon Whited. Her mother and stepfather lost the home they had lived in for almost 20 years.

Now, she is leading a fundraising effort to help support them.

“They literally have nothing. Of course, there’s the animals that they are going to need to care for. My mom is actually a county coroner. Having vehicles so that they can get around and she can go do her job is very important.”

While the family was able to save their dogs from the fire, two of their cats did not survive. Whited’s stepfather tried everything he could to save the house.

“My stepdad Ed thought that he could maybe get the tractor and dig a ditch to keep the fire from getting up next to the house. He had been scrambling around to trying to get the keys to the tractor to be able to do that.”

As he tried to save the home, he lost the keys to his truck. If it weren’t for a neighbor he may not have escaped.

“The fire was right up to the house. It was lucky that she showed up and he was able to get into the vehicle and leave.”

Along with being a county coroner, Whited’s mother also works as an EMT for Holly Volunteer Ambulance. Her stepfather and mother also works for a transport ambulance that brings patients from their community to larger hospitals.

“At the drop of a hat they ran out of their house to help whoever it was who needed it. The way the universe works. Now they are the ones that need it.”

So far, the GoFundMe has raised over $8,000. CLICK HERE to donate.

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