A Bigfork couple escaped a fire in their Swan View Trail house just after midnight Tuesday.

Interim Bigfork Fire Chief Mick Borges said that a man was up late when he heard a sound from the living room.

“He was still up working on his computer and happened to hear a crackling noise,” Borges said.

Upon further investigation, the man found smoke.

“He grabbed his wife and dogs and got them out of the house,” Borges said.

Fire crews found smoke and some flames coming from the roof. Ferndale and Creston fire departments helped Bigfork firefighters douse the fire, which took approximately five hours to put out.

The couple was not immediately able to return to their home because of extensive smoke damage.

“We had some damage to it, but it’s still standing,” Borges said.

Reporter Megan Strickland can be reached at 758-4459 or [email protected].