As the terrifying wildfires that have left at least five dead ripped through the Pacific Palisades and nearby Altadena on Tuesday night, more than 30,000 California residents fled their homes, packing up their kids, pets and whatever essentials they could stuff into their vehicles.
Fleeing their upscale neighborhoods that looked like war zones, they grabbed their photo albums and medications, leaving most of their material possessions to incinerate in the fires.
As they searched for refuge in hotels and shelters, panicked residents awaited the fate of their homes, many of which had burned to the ground overnight.
Julie Tseselsky was relaxing at her Altadena abode with her family on Tuesday night when she heard the crash of breaking glass in a bathroom.
When she and her husband rushed to investigate, they found that part of their roof had blown off. Afraid of high winds, Tseselsky packed up her two children, ages 6 and 10, and fled to a hotel.
“We didn’t even have awareness of the fire,” she said. “As we were leaving, we saw the flames, but they were a couple of miles away.”
When she settled into the hotel, Tseselsky, a television editor, started hearing from neighbors who had stayed behind and received devastating news Wednesday morning.
“A neighbor told me our entire street is gone,” she said. “Our school, our pharmacy, our coffee shop, our gas station.”
“I’m very upset. It’s a couple hours fresh, so it hasn’t completely sunk in, but it’s very, very upsetting.”
Stay up to date with the NYP’s coverage of the terrifying LA-area fires
In nearby Palisades, Elizabeth Cherniak watched the flames drawing closer and finally decided that she and her brother, Rick Brissen, needed to head to a shelter. Police took them to Westwood Recreation Center on Sepulveda Boulevard.
At the shelter, Chick-fil-A provided sandwiches and Starbucks gave them coffee. The Red Cross checked on elderly and sick refugees.
“They’re doing a great job,” Cherniak said. “I appreciate all they’re doing.”
But she grew emotional as she thought of the massive losses in the community.
“I hate that life has just become so much harder for me and for everyone. I hate that this is what’s happening. It’s devastating. Things will never be the same.”
Pasadena resident Eddie De Ferrari told The Post that he hasn’t had time to process the devastating loss, after helping evacuate a senior center and checking on nearby homes to make sure no one is stranded.
“I’m currently in the fire zone helping out,” he explained. “There are many homes on fire. Altadena is burning heavily.”
Now safe from the devastation, Tseselsky has to decide what information to give her children.
“They know that there’s a big fire, but they don’t know that it got our house.”
Tseselsky revealed that her family will temporarily leave the Los Angeles area until the air quality returns to normal for her children — but wants to help rebuild in their fire-ravaged, close-knit community of Altadena.
“It’s a wonderful area, adorable and quaint,” she said, “The people are wonderful. Everyone who lives in Altadena loves it.
“I’m afraid that some of the sense of history will be lost, but the community will remain.”
