Crews from Consolidated and Grass Valley fire departments fight a blaze in a Banner Mine Way home Tuesday. Neighbors started the effort to fight the flames.

In his parents' driveway, Eric Hoefler was loading Christmas gifts into his car when he noticed flames shooting from the neighbors' windows Tuesday.

Within a minute, he notified his family of the fire, called 911 and then dashed to the burning home at 10757 Banner Mine Way, off Banner Lava Cap Drive, and grabbed a garden hose.

"My house?" asked his father, Paul Hoefler.

"No, your neighbors'," his son replied on the fly.

With four other family members, the Hoeflers said, they stopped most of the flames before Nevada County Consolidated and Grass Valley fire crews swept in just after 1:30 p.m. to finish the job.

"It was a family affair," said Paul, a former 49er Fire Protection District volunteer when he lived in Cascade Shores. "These guys went at it like a team."

With Eric using a hose, Paul arrived with a fire extinguisher. They were joined by Eric's wife, Nathalie Hoefler; Paul's daughter, Kimberly Hoefler; Kimberly's fiance, Michael Padilla; and Paul's brother-in-law, Robert McEwen.

The four hauled water with "garbage cans and anything they could get their hands on," Paul Hoefler said.

A family of four with the last name Reed lives at the house, but they were in Southern California for the holidays, the Hoeflers said. Several neighbors discussed ways to notify the Reeds, and another donated plywood to board the windows.

The house will be uninhabitable without expensive remodeling, said Grass Valley Fire Marshal Greg Burke, but the damage could have been worse. Flames destroyed the living room, and part of the second floor sustained smoke and heat damage.

"It was a good save, considering," he said. "If someone hadn't noticed it earlier, it would've been well-involved (in flames)."

A cause wasn't immediately known, but Burke said the fire started in the living room and isn't considered suspicious.

Paul Hoefler said neighbors will likely pitch in to provide the Reeds a place to stay.

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