annual fee for rural fire coverage. trace gallagher live in our west coast newsroom with what is becoming a national story. >> reporter: it's a big story. they live outside tpult ton, tennessee. keep that in mind, it's important. they were burning trash in a burn barrel, a spark got out, caught the grass on fire. gene grabbed a hose and tried to pull it out. he calls 911, the fire department does not come. the house starts burning and then the flames go to a neighbor's shed. the neighbor calls 911, and here comes the fire department. they put the shed out quickly but let the cradd -- cranick's burn. the neighbors paid the $75 fee, they didn't. >> we didn't get around to paying it. if they waived it one year why couldn't they do that this year. people around here know us and