100-year-old Charles Rippey and his wife 98-year-old Sara grew up together in a small town in Wisconsin and went to college in the state together.
The Napa County couple had celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary last year.
"They had their 75th wedding anniversary last May. They met when they were in grade school, fourth grade, sixth grade. And they'd been together ever since,” their son Mike Rippey said.
“Those of us in the family always wondered what would happen if one of them died and the other one was still left because we knew that there's no way that they would be happy, whoever was the last one. And so they went together."
The California wildfires have killed at least 17 people and destroyed more than 2,000 homes and businesses.
Mr Rippey said his parents were unable to get out before the blaze destroyed their home.
Fire consumes a home as an out of control wildfire move through the area on October 9, 2017 in Glen Ellen, California. Source: Getty
“It hit so fast and they just didn't have a chance. My mother had a stroke and she couldn't move very well at all, so I don't think she would have been able to get out period and my father certainly never would have left her."
His brother found their bodies on Monday. The couple had lived in the Napa region about 45 years.
Mr Rippey said he had been in London when his brother called him about the fires.
Coincidentally he said he was preparing to fly home to the US to see his family on the same day.
The flames from 17 major blazes have blackened more than 115,000 acres (46,500 hectares) since fires broke out on Sunday amid hot, dry conditions and high winds.
Tens of thousands of residents were forced to flee, as schools closed and at least two hospitals in Sonoma County were temporarily shuttered.
Fire consumes a barn as an out of control wildfire moves through the area on October 9, 2017. Source: Getty Images North America
California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in Napa, Sonoma and five other counties.
- With AP .
