Altadena resident talks about saving her home, surviving the Eaton fire
Survivor of the Destroyer Eaton Fire It devastated the Altadena area Los Angeles County recently spoke about his experience of dealing with hell.
Altadena resident Justin Christie spoke about his experience with Fox News Digital on Saturday afternoon. As of Saturday evening, the Eaton fire, which started on Tuesday, was only 15% contained.
Christie explained that his family has lived in the area since 1967 and had never seen anything as devastating as the Eaton fire before.
“(I’ve seen tons of fires on this hill,” Christie recalled. “When I saw that, when I went out and saw the flames on the mountainside, something told me this was different.”
Justin Christie is pictured in front of a view of damaged structures and homes caused by the Eaton wildfires in the Altadena neighborhood of Los Angeles. (Getty Images/Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
“I was really scared and started thinking about what I should do to prepare for this.”
Christie said she became particularly alarmed after seeing one of the palm trees catch fire, which had never happened before. He quickly put all the family members in his car and drove away from the scene.
“I’ve never, in all the fires, ever had one of our trees burn,” he said. “And that really said, OK … we’ve got a big problem.”
Christie then drove to check on her house – when she realized no one would put out the palm tree fire, Christie decided to take matters into her own hands and fight the fire herself.
“Many times I thought my house was going to go,” she recalled. “From 8 o’clock in the evening to 12 o’clock in the afternoon. This house that was burning next to me was the last house that put me in danger.”
“When it finally calmed down … I felt some relief.”
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Members of Congress tour a wildfire disaster zone in Altadena on Saturday. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
But Christie said that sense of comfort was short-lived until another neighbor of hers’ garage caught fire. Although Christie’s home was not damaged in the fire, the resident described the whole situation as “just devastating”.
“It’s heartbreaking. It’s enough to make you want to cry,” Christie said. “So many people lost everything.”
“And I never, ever thought…we’d been here this long…I always thought we were far enough away from the fire.”
Reflecting on the experience, Christie described the sounds and sights forest fires like “incredible”.
Elliott Junior High’s auditorium is being recognized after it was destroyed by a wildfire in Altadena, Calif., on Friday. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
“Shattering windows, exploding gas lines, people’s propane tanks, burning cars,” he vividly described. “There were just a few freight trains coming your way.”
All in all, Christie said it was nothing short of a miracle that her house survived the Eaton fire.
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“It was a miracle that I caught the flame… the wind died in an instant,” he said. “If it hadn’t been for him… he would have grabbed this closet next to me, set my house on fire, and I would have been done. I wanted to leave several times, but I didn’t. ‘t. I stayed.
“If I left, the house would be gone. It was completely gone.”
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