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King Fire: Homeowners Return To Find Nothing Left Of Homes Burned In El Dorado County

EL DORADO COUNTY (CBS13) — Homeowners are returning to find everything they had burned in the King Fire.

Potentially dozens of homes have been destroyed by the blaze in El Dorado County. Fire officials will not confirm that homes have been destroyed until inspectors go through, but homeowners in the area shared their address with us to get a firsthand look.

The King Fire has burned more than 76,000 acres and remains at 10 percent containment.

The Dykstras had no idea when they left their home to spend a few days in Livermore that they would have to deal with what they came home to.

"We can't replace our wedding pictures, our children's pictures," said Sally Dykstra. "We are safe. Those are just things."

A neighbor broke the news to them about the King Fire.

"There's a fire, and an evacuation. We don't know anything, they just told us to get out," Garry Dykstra said.

The couple only had 10 minutes to grab what they could as they left their home of 20 years.

They were given the devastating news their home was burned to the ground only minutes before we spoke to them.

"We are in our 70s; we built that house," Sally said. "To try to go back is hard."

Tim Roffe is one of those in the area also dealing with the same loss.

"We just found out today our house is completely gone," he said. "Everything we have is completely gone."

The skeleton of a few items visible through the rubble at the Roffe house. While a tool cabinet stands tall in the garage that once stood, only charred remains are left of the car the family left behind.

"Looked over and my garage is completely gone," he said. "Looked over and my mother's fifth wheel is completely gone. All gone."

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