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On Fire!

By Kevin Ferguson
November 15, 2008
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This video was taken about a mile away from the 250-unit apartment building in Anaheim Hills that was apparently engulfed in flames. It’s not much, I know. We were in a panic: we had just rushed over from Long Beach to pick up my grandma, who was staying in a senior apartment complex and had just gotten word that a mandatory evacuation was in effect. Ahead of us, two sheriffs deputies (at least I think they were OC sheriff?) were turning practically everyone around per the evacuation order.

Afraid they wouldn’t let us pass the checkpoint, I ran up a pretty steep hill to her complex. I’d hoped that if they wouldn’t let us through they’d at least let Kelly—who was driving—park and wait for me as I wheeled her down. Fortunately, Kelly got through, and after waiting for around an hour stuck in traffic on Santa Ana Canyon Road we made it out. Grandma is safe and sound. The whole experience was surreal and exhausting. I’m still wheezing and hacking from the smoke I inhaled running up the hill and had to wash my hair twice to get the smell out of it. So here’s to the firemen and the other displaced people who have to deal with way more than smelly hair, you guys are in my thoughts.

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