LOS ANGELES (KTLA) A man tasked with protecting the Los Angeles area from raging wildfires now ranks among those who have lost their homes and everything inside.

Capt. Al Hugo, a 32-year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department, lived in his Altadena home with his wife, Carmen, for 20 years.

As the Eaton Fire ignited on Jan. 7, the fast-moving blaze eventually reached Hugo’s neighborhood.

He and his wife quickly evacuated with their four dogs, leaving their belongings behind. Although wildfires have threatened his community before, he said the flames had never reached his neighborhood until now.

The next day, the family learned their home was completely destroyed by the fire.

“It was surreal,” Hugo told Nexstar’s KTLA. “It’s painful because you’ve [spent] a lot of time there. I’ve been there for 20 years so I got a lot of memories and a lot of mementos that we lost, but I’m just thankful that my family and my pets are good.”

Despite working to save others, Hugo and his family lost everything. As they work to determine their next steps, he’s thankful his family wasn’t injured and is urging anyone who is able to help victims, to do so.

“My story is not unique, we’re one of many,” Hugo said. “We’re proud, but we need help. Not just myself, but everyone else.”

He loves the Altadena community and said he’s touched by how everyone has been stepping up to help each other. 

“The city’s resilient,” he said. “It’s a close-knit community and we’re going to stick together. And from what I’ve heard from the people I’ve talked to, they want to rebuild.”

A GoFundMe page to help the Hugo Family rebuild can be found here.

As of Wednesday, the Eaton Fire remains at 14,117 acres with 45% containment. Over 7,000 structures and homes were damaged or destroyed and at least 25 people have been killed between the Eaton and Palisades Fire, which both ignited on the same day.