Two firefighters lost homes in the 'Sand Fire'

The Chavez and Robledo families are neighbors who both lost their homes in the Sand Fire.

"It's a traumatic experience, it's overwhelming," firefighter, Ramon Chavez, said.

What's worse is that both men are wildland firefighters and they said they were on front lines when their own homes went up in flames.

"I've seen pictures and there's nothing left," Chavez's wife, Bonnie Chavez, said.

A photo shows the Chavez home while it was still standing and another photo shows the aftermath.

The families said it happened so fast when the fire blew through the Sand Canyon area early Saturday morning.

"I evacuated at 1:30 in the morning with what I could grab as far as sentimental stuff," wife, Tanya Robledo, said.

"Clothing for the children and my wife's wedding dress," Ramon Chavez said of what he grabbed.

But Chavez said that's about all he could get in time, before he and his fellow firefighter James Robledo watched their houses burn.

Another firefighter, Sergio Toscano, who lives in the same community, also lost his house too.

"It came so fast that there was really nothing that you could do except to make sure everyone is safe and try to get everybody out of there as fast as you can," firefighter, James Robledo, said.

The families are now staying at hotels trying to create some normalcy for their children.

The Robledo's have five daughters while the Chavez's have three kids.

The thought of returning home to nothing brings them to tears.

"It's hard, it's unbelievable," Tanya Robledo said.