what would you do if your home was in danger of being engulfed in flames from a forest fire? the answer for some is to actually hire their own firefighters. the fire has claimed 483 structures. two lives have been lost. some homeowners have actually gotten an extra layer of protection. private firefighters they have called in to save certain houses. they pay for it. not the entire community. how does this work? market savage is out front. >> reporter: in an upscale, scorched subdivision a fire team deals with one of the last hot spots of the black forest fire. they look like real firefighters, because they are. but these men aren't here to protect the neighborhood. they're here to protect just this one home. they're private firefighters. hired by insurance companies. from a financial perspective it makes sense. the cost of a private fire crew is far less than the cost of replacing a home.