As wildfires swept through and decimated neighborhoods in Northern California, some of the first responders lost their own homes as they were helping to evacuate residents.
One of them was Mill Valley Fire Chief Tom Welch.
Welch, a Santa Rosa resident, lost his home, then went back and helped with the fire response in Napa and Sonoma counties after he and his family evacuated, Linn Walsh, assistant to the Mill Valley city manager, said Tuesday. Walsh started a YouCaring page once the city heard the news, and has already raised more than $50,000 for the chief and his family.