Instead, thousands found themselves fleeing their homes Thursday afternoon.Connie Cryer went to the fire response command post Friday with her 12-year-old granddaughter, Maddie Miramon, to find out if her house had survived the flames.
"There was fire in front of me, fire beside me, fire behind me. It was everywhere," said Connie Cryer, who was relieved to learn Friday that her home survived the flames. "I don't know how more didn't burn up. It was terrible, all the wind and the smoke."