Caldor Fire Evacuees Hope Their Homes Are Still Standing
EL DORADO COUNTY (CBS13) - The Caldor Fire destroyed homes in El Dorado County. Twenty miles to the west, evacuees hoped theirs wasn't one of them.
"I'm hoping our house is still there and we can go home and go back to normal?" said Jillian Martin.
Jillian Martin grabbed whatever she could before her family was evacuated from Pollack Pines.
"We were put on a warning evac, and within an hour, it was mandatory. I haven't really had time to think about it but I just want my kids to be safe," said Martin.
"I'm not worried about my stuff. It's more I want them for their security and nothing really to change so they got to pack their toys," she said.
Her seven-year-old son Brantley and his little brother Gage knew exactly what to grab.
"Probably my stuffed animal. Because I really love him," said Brantley.
Evacuated families focused on saving what means the most to them. For James Blood and his wife, Randi, that list is short.
"The most important thing is I have my wife, who I love dearly, and my two little kittens," said Blood.
Married for 40 years, they never expected a fire would force them to leave their home behind.
"We've seen other people experience this and you go, 'oh man, I feel bad for them,' but you don't really understand it until you go through it," said Blood.
El Dorado County Sheriff's tells CBS13 their resources are focused on evacuations making sure families get out safe so crews have room to contain this fast-moving fire.
The American Red Cross tells CBS13 the community center will remain open as a shelter as long as its needed.
