Family loses everything, including several pets, in destructive fire in Tulare County

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A family of five, including an 8-year-old boy, are displaced after their home burned down in a fire on Friday.

The fire happened on Friday afternoon around 2 pm in Allensworth on Rd. 84 near Ave. 32.

The fire was less than two miles from the historic park.

Prevailing winds reached 20 miles per hour as the Tulare County Fire Department worked to stop the blaze.

The residents, Jaime Lopez, and his family, say they are in disbelief.

A heartbroken Lopez held onto a picture of his late wife.

It's the only thing he managed to save when his home caught fire on Friday afternoon.

The blaze spread quickly.

Within minutes his home, 36 acres of nearby grass, and four other structures were gone.

Even days after a devastating fire destroyed the family home, you can still smell the burn scar.

The Lopez family says they did everything they could to get out and save their animals.

Unfortunately, they lost several of them during this heartbreaking tragedy.

Four puppies, several pigs, parrots and chickens died in the fire.

Four other puppies and a dog made it out alive.

Jaime says although he is devastated over the loss of his pets and home, he is just thankful his children and 8-year-old grandson are okay.

"I say thanks to God that nothing happened to my children. The things are the least," says Jaime.

Jaime's Jeep also made it, but his work truck is gone.

He used it to sell fruit at outdoor markets.

His estimated loss is about $30,000.

But with a positive mindset and community support, he hopes to rebuild.

"And the people that are helping me, God bless," he said.

Jaime thanks the people helping him.

Goana Toscano, with the Allensworth Progressive Association, is among them.

She says neighbors are jumping in to offer a helping hand.

"It's just hard to see residents or your neighbors go through this," she explained.

The Tulare County Fire Department says the flames were driven by the wind.

Chief Charlie Norman was among the firefighters who responded to the scene.

He urges people who see something to say something.

"Call 911, if you think it's minuscule, it looks like a small fire, these things grow so rapidly in size so quickly, get us on the road, get us rolling because we are here to help you and make a difference," mentioned Chief Norman.

With these gusty winds, extremely dry conditions and increased fire danger, the Tulare County Fire Department is urging people to create their defensible space.

Make sure you are being very careful with anything you're doing outdoors, especially during the peak heat hours.

It's also a good idea to have a go bag with important documents and medications ready just in case.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the family recover from the fire.

For news updates, follow Kassandra Gutierrez on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.