Hank Hanson and his wife fled for their lives last week when a massive wildfire started encroaching on their property in California.
Thankfully, they were able to get out alive, however they have returned to their home to find it reduced to ash and rubble.
It's particularly devastating for Hank because he spent three decades getting the property to be perfect.
Advert
On the property, which was bought by Hanson in 1974, there were two homes. After purchasing the huge lot of land, he spent the next 17 years going up there on the weekends to plant walnut, peach, fig and eucalyptus trees.
Nearly 20 years later, he added a 3,000 square-foot addition, which had a wine cellar, an indoor and outdoor pool and a bunch of fireplaces.
Advert
He said: "I worked on it for 30 years. It was pretty nice. I wouldn't want to do it on a lesser scale, and I don't got time to top the old one."
Hank is understandably devastated that it's now all gone. The 81-year-old was luckily awake when the wildfire started pouring over the ridge line in Vacaville in northern California between San Francisco and Sacramento.
It was a baking 35 degrees Celsius at 1am and Hank couldn't sleep. That's when he noticed the inferno was coming his way.
"It started pouring toward us like a waterfall," Hanson told Las Vegan Sun.
Advert
But he hasn't given up all hope. He's planning on turning the lot into a park and campground and hopes to be able to visit it every now and then with his mates.
More than 500 blazes across California have been raging over the past few weeks, which have killed six people and destroyed more than 700 homes. It's the second-largest wildfire in the state's history and it's not over yet.
They were partly fuelled by extremely hot conditions and exacerbated by more than 12,000 lightning strikes.
Advert
Californian Governor Gavin Newsom has requested help from firefighters from Canada and Australiain controlling the blazes.
He said: "Many of you will recall, I think it was 2017, the support that we were provided and the support that we provided in turn of some of the best wildfire firefighters from Australia. We also have requests out for that talent, as well."
New South Wales Rural Fire Service said a formal request had not yet been received, but they were in a 'good position' to help, although coronavirus restrictions may affect their deployment.
A spokesperson told Brisbane Times: "We are in a pretty good position [to help] compared to where we were at this stage last year. The consideration would just be what the request is in relation to Covid-19 and quarantine restrictions for going there and on return."
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: News, Bushfires, US News