VIDEO: Community rallies for firefighter who lost new home while saving others from Glass Fire

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Included in the hundreds of homes lost to the Glass Fire were those of the very first responders on the fire lines battling the flames.

For one Santa Rosa firefighter, the loss meant much more than a home.

The "all call" came in late Sunday for every available resource in Sonoma County. Santa Rosa Fire Captain Mike Musgrove was dispatched to Oakmont to assist in evacuating the senior community before joining in the fire fight himself.

"It was pretty much for the next 12 hours in Oakmont doing structure defense," Musgrove said of that unfortunate night.

While on the fire line, Musgrove got word of a new, fast-moving spot fire near St. Helena Rd., close to where he had just finalized the purchase of a new rural dream home for his family.

"I was just trying to be hopeful that, you know, it was going to be okay up here."

Musgrove wasn’t able to catch a brief glimpse of his new property until the following day. It was a total loss.

Santa Rosa Fire Captain Mike Musgrove stands in the ruins of his new home, burned to the ground by the Glass Fire as he fought the same flames just miles away.
Santa Rosa Fire Captain Mike Musgrove stands in the ruins of his new home, burned to the ground by the Glass Fire as he fought the same flames just miles away. Photo credit Mike DeWald/KCBS Radio

"(I) just saw the devastation and, again, I had to just keep working so I just went back down the hill and continued my assignment," an emotional Musgrove told KCBS Radio.

On top of the destruction, Musgrove’s nightmare scenario grew even worse.

"We were not able to get insurance," he added, a now-common tale caused by the first few days of the Glass Fire igniting nearby. Nothing was recoverable in the ruin.

Rewind a year ago to the day of the house burning down.

That’s when Musgrove lost his oldest daughter.

The move to the remote property provided an opportunity for a simpler upbringing for his family, and a way to connect with nature.

"All the pressures and the social media, things that these kids go though, we kind of wanted to just have a reset," Musgrove explained.

He was ready to walk away, but a wave of community support began to come in, including a GoFundMe that’s already raised tens of thousands of dollars in an effort to help the family regain a piece of what they have lost.

One of the walls that once stood inside Musgrove's new home.
One of the walls that once stood inside Musgrove's new home. Photo credit Mike DeWald/KCBS Radio

While the flames took his new home, Musgrove said they won’t deter his spirit.

"It’s not burned. It will grow back. We can make it happen."

Click to donate to the GoFundMe campaign.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Mike DeWald/KCBS Radio