Jaime Leon stood on a sidewalk in the Santiago Estates subdivision Tuesday afternoon determined to learn if the Creek fire had devoured his Sylmar home.
As he made his way to Gavina Avenue and Via Santa Barbara, a firefighter stopped him in his tracks. There were still hot spots to be snuffed out and equipment to be moved into the neighborhood. It was just too dangerous.
“We don’t want anyone to get hurt,” the firefighter told him.
Robert Romero evacuates his home in Santiago Estates as firefighters try to save homes during the wind-driven Creek fire in Sylmar on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) . .A LAFD firefighter fights to save a home in the Santiago Estates area of Sylmar this morning. The fight was unsuccessful as at least a half a dozen homes were lost when water pressure was lost on Tuesday, Dec.5, 2017. (Photo by Mike Meadows for the Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)LAFD firefighters fight to save homes in the Santiago Estates area of Sylmar on Tuesday, Dec.5, 2017. (Photo by Mike Meadows for the Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)A LAFD firefighter fights to save a home in the Santiago Estates area of Sylmar this morning. The fight was unsuccessful as at least a half a dozen homes were lost when water pressure was lost on Tuesday, Dec.5, 2017. (Photo by Mike Meadows for the Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)Fire watch volunteers Dan Formanowicz, left, and John Acuna stand on fire watch at the intersection of E. Santiago Canyon Road and Jamboree Road in Orange near Irvine Regional Park as high Santa Ana winds blow early Tuesday morning December 5, 2017. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)Fire watch volunteers Dan Formanowicz, left, and John Acuna stand on fire watch at the intersection of E. Santiago Canyon Road and Jamboree Road in Orange near Irvine Regional Park as high Santa Ana winds blow early Tuesday morning December 5, 2017. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)LAFD firefighters fight to save a home in the Santiago Estates area of Sylmar on Tuesday, Dec.5, 2017. (Photo by Mike Meadows for the Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)A firefighter passes the remains of a burning home in Santiago Estates during the wind-driven Creek fire in Sylmar on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) . .A firefighter passes the remains of a burning home in Santiago Estates during the wind-driven Creek fire in Sylmar on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) . .A holiday decoration adorns a light post as a home burns in Santiago Estates during the wind-driven Creek fire in Sylmar on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) . .Homes in Santiago Estates burn during the wind-driven Creek fire in Sylmar on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) . .Homes in Santiago Estates burn during the wind-driven Creek fire in Sylmar on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) . .Firefighters try to save homes in Santiago Estates during the wind-driven Creek fire in Sylmar on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) . .Firefighters try to save homes in Santiago Estates during the wind-driven Creek fire in Sylmar on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) . .Firefighters try to save homes in Santiago Estates during the wind-driven Creek fire in Sylmar on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) . .Firefighters try to save homes in Santiago Estates during the wind-driven Creek fire in Sylmar on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) . .Firefighters try to save homes in Santiago Estates during the wind-driven Creek fire in Sylmar on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) . .Firefighters try to save homes in Santiago Estates during the wind-driven Creek fire in Sylmar on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG) . .Show Caption of Expand
So Leon, 35, waited as Santa Ana winds howled along the canyon. And then he recalled the harrowing escape from his home several hours earlier:
At 4:30 a.m. Tuesday, Leon, his wife and their four sons, 10 months to 17 years old, were fast asleep.
Suddenly, a car’s honk.
Leon peered out a window. It was his property manager in a car in front of his home, laying on the vehicle’s horn. Soon, other neighbors were beeping their horns as well and also going door-to-door to help with evacuations.
“We look out for our neighbors,” Leon said.
Leon looked out and saw smoke and ash, and then a wall of flames making a beeline for the neighborhood.
“It looked like a movie,” he said. “It’s unreal when something is coming right at you.”
Leon quickly grabbed a box of personal items and a firearm and fled with his family and their 4 -year-old American bulldog, Chica.
They took refuge at a family member’s home, where they watched television coverage of the fire, hoping to get a glimpse of their neighborhood.
“We wondered if our house was still standing,” Leon said. “We just moved here in January.”
Tuesday afternoon, he still didn’t know.
Source: Oc Register
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