Outdoor fire

A fast-moving fire destroyed two homes on Monday afternoon in La Habra Heights and damaged another, overwhelming residents as hundreds of firefighters battled flames from the ground and air.
The Palos Fire raced up a steep hillside toward homes on Casolera Drive before crews could contain it.
By Monday evening, forward progress had been stopped on the 17.2-acre fire, and it was 41% contained. Evacuation warnings and orders previously issued for neighbors were lifted.
Among the properties destroyed was Tammy Becker's home, which was nearly finished after undergoing more than three years of repairs related to 2023 storms.
"I was not home. I'm in an insurance claim from 2023," Becker said. "Yeah, it was almost done [being rebuilt]. For the last, over three years, it's been under construction, and it was almost done. It was like 90% done."
Now her home at the top of Casolera Drive is 100% gone.
Becker watched on television as flames moved toward her neighborhood and consumed the nearly completed home.
Jacquie Nolan, another homeowner who lost a home in the fire, described a frantic call from Becker.
"She called me, and she said, 'My house is burning down, Jacquie.' She was hysterical," Jacquie said.
It was an hourslong firefight from the air, and a more precarious one at ground level, where 250 firefighters maneuvered lines along steep, narrow hillsides.
"Of all the houses... mine, mine is gone," Becker said.
Across the street, Gregg Nolan, who also lost his home, recognized the danger as ash flew through the air and flames approached. Nolan has lived at his home since 1987.
"I know the situation where we live, and that bottom canyon has always been a scary deal. A little fire down there gets going pretty fast," Gregg Nolan said. "I came in and said, 'Trav, start packing. I don't think we're going to get out.' By the time we packed up a little bit, five minutes later... the fire was in our backyard."
"I have a very good friend who said, who's been through a lot, and he said, 'Jacquie, you need to remember that God always has a plan, so I'm just going to wait to see what it is," Jacquie Nolan said.
The Nolan family escaped with their dogs and a small number of valuables. Meanwhile, Jacquie said her parents are artists, and they lost all of her parents' artwork in the fire.
John Smith and his wife watched the fire from his office as crews worked to protect their home.
"We were worried. But they saved us," Smith said.
The couple returned to find their home still standing. Firefighters had broken through one of the doors to rescue the couple's three dogs, but Smith and his wife told Eyewitness News that they were still trying to track them down.
"Our house got saved. So, we're happy. We're trying to find our dogs now," Smith said.
Becker was also desperate to reach the nine cats that had been inside her rebuilt home.
"Right now, I just want to see my cats," she told Eyewitness News.
Neighbors believe the cats may have died in the fire.
As residents surveyed the destruction, Gregg Nolan reflected on what comes next.
"For some reason, it's time for us to 'clean house,' so to speak, and start over, and that's what He wants us to do. That's what we're going to do," Nolan said.
According to fire officials, two people were injured in the blaze, including a firefighter. The nature and extent of their injuries were not immediately known.
Power was shut off on Casolera Drive for the night. The Red Cross opened an evacuation shelter for residents at Los Altos High School in Hacienda Heights.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.