OC Woman From Calaveras County Collecting Clothing Donations For Butte Fire Victims

LAKE FOREST (CBSLA.com) — An Orange County woman is on pins and needles and doing what she can to collect clothing for loved ones and neighbors who are suffering back home in the area where the Butte fire continues to rage.

"My mom asked me, 'How are you gonna feel if your high school burns?' And it's like, we take a lot of pride in where we're from and where we grew up. We're a close-knit community," Denise Jimenez of Mission Viejo said.

Jimenez's friend, who is five months pregnant, posted a photograph on Facebook on Sunday that shows her home devoured by flames.

"My heart breaks for my friends who lost their homes," she said.

Jimenez just heard that the old Red Barn in Calaveras County that has been the backdrop of countless photos is now a pile of ash, yet firefighters managed to save friend Nicole Fisher's parents ranch in time for her wedding.

The bride and groom's photograph shows the orange glow of a wildfire burning nearby.

Help from the Orange County Fire Authority has already arrived at the Butte fire.

"We're firefighters. No matter where the fire is, in our backyard or 400 miles away, we gladly go to protect lives and property," Capt. Steve Concialdi of the OCFA said.

Jimenez will never forget her childhood in Calaveras County and is on a mission now to collect a carload of clothing and deliver it to those who need it most.

For more information on how to help or donate, email: DMonetJimenez@gmail.com.