Residents return home to destruction after fleeing from Palisades Fire
As wildfires burn across Southern California, residents are returning to their neighborhoods to find widespread devastation.
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. (KFSN) -- People returned to their neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades on Thursday, only to find their homes reduced to rubble.
Several neighborhoods along Pacific Coast Highway were completely destroyed by the Palisades Fire.
Just down the road, the Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates was also leveled, leaving only charred debris behind.
Lisa Anderson found some mementos, including a metal heart, that survived the fire, but everything else is gone.
"It's not so much stuff for me. It's what this place was. The neighbors, the community. This was my sanctuary," Anderson explained.
The fire, which has been burning since Tuesday, continues to spark other spot fires
You can stay up to date on the latest information for the Palisades Fire by clicking here
During Action News' interview with Anderson, a home quickly became engulfed in flames along the hillside.
"That's just tragic watching this right now," Anderson said in response to the flames.
The unpredictable winds and flying embers have made it a brutal battle for firefighters, including dozens of crews from the Central Valley.
Firefighters with CAL FIRE in Madera County were busy surveying the damage in the area on Thursday morning.
The Fresno City Fire Department also has over 20 personnel in Southern California, including firefighter Mark S'gro.
S'gro grew up not too far from the Pacific Palisades area, and is now helping to protect what's left of the community.
"A lot of memories some of the restaurants in the areas that we used to go to are gone," said Mark.
"It can be overwhelming we are here to do a job now and to provide any service and help citizens anyway we can."
Firefighters have been stretched thin from multiple fires burning across Los Angeles.
The Fresno City Fire Department has two dozen people and three engines assisting in Southern California.
Action News also saw a CAL FIRE crew from Madera assessing the damage from the Palisades fire.
One local, Randy Stoklos, shared video of him staying behind and helping fight the flames.
The five-time beach volleyball champion was born and raised in Pacific Palisades.
"it's been an awful two days. I have so many friends who lost their homes. My father in law lost his house," said Stoklos.
"All the houses in the beach are all history they are all gone it was the oldest house built in 1919."
The deadly Palisades Fire will continue to burn into Thursday night.
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