Resident's Eerie Photos Of Cristianitos Fire: 'We Could See The Flames, And They Were Growing'

SAN CLEMENTE, CA — The views of San Clemente toward Camp Pendleton are usually Michelle Allen's favorite part of living in the quiet beach town. On Wednesday, those rolling hills of trees and brush were shrouded in black smoke, glowing flames and the gnawing question of whether her family would be forced to evacuate their beloved Orange County home.

Five years ago, shortly after moving to San Clemente, fire raged between Camp Pendleton and the Allen's new home.

"It was nothing like this," Michelle said. "Then it was a bit further off. Nothing like what happened yesterday." On Thursday, midday, things have calmed somewhat since the terror of the night before.

"The smoke just looks white today from one upstairs window, but from my son's room looking toward where the command center is, the smoke is still dark clouds of an active looking burn," she said.

At the Steed Park forward command center, Orange County Fire Authority and Camp Pendleton, the latest reports show the acreage of the Cristianitos Fire estimated to have burned 700 acres, and is approximately 10 percent contained. Containment of a wildfire involves creating a barrier to encircle the fire, keeping the burn area encased.

As of Thursday afternoon, the San Clemente homes most at risk are located off of Avenida Vista Montana and Avenida La Pata in San Clemente, Captain Larry Kurtz of the Orange County Fire Authority said.

No structures had been damaged and no injuries reported as of late morning, according to Kurtz, who said 204 firefighters were assigned to the blaze. There's a light breeze, so the wind has not aided the fire's spread, according to Kurtz.

The flames were more "slope-driven," Kurtz said.

Living "upslope" from the fire, Michelle Allen recalled the events of the night before, she shared how she learned about the fire that threatened her neighborhood and home.

It was her in-laws who told them about the nearing smoke, driving nearby and fearful for the family, came to notify them.

"They were driving home and saw smoke above the general area," Michelle said. Because of the way the wind was blowing and the drift of the smoke plume, they didn't smell for two hours.

"We walked up to ridge line on the paved trail, then the mountain bike trail and saw the fire as it was going," she said.

"The smoke was close, thick and black. We could see the flames, and they were growing," Michelle said.

In her mind, the fire department would put it out before it made much progress.

"I thought they would be able to take care of it before it reached the buildings and animal shelter," she said.

Then, the wind picked up.

From their vantage point at the ridgeline trail, the Allens saw the Cristianitos fire jumped the fire road, the wind was pushing northbound, and looking at the fire it looked like fire tornadoes leaped up around 6:30 p.m.

I used to think fire was pretty.

"When I'm with the boy scouts, with my son and friends, we've worked on making fire, on building fires, and I used to think fire was pretty, but this was something else," she said. "I never want to see it so close again."

Fire tornadoes swirled and flames leaped as the Allens and their neighbors looked on. No one thought about dinner. No one was thinking about sleep, according to Allen.

As they watched, the fire came closer marching up hill in an eerie glow of orange and red. Though the sun had not yet set, the sky was dark and smoke-filled.

An Orange County Sheriff arrived at the Ridgeline Trail gate from Del Dios at approximately 7:30 p.m. and when asked, informed neighbors and residents that no evacuation instructions were in order.

"We were told that it was always good to be ready, but we weren't being ordered to evacuate," she said.

Orange County Fire Authority reminds residents that if you feel like you should evacuate, don't wait to be told.

By 8 p.m., a large number of area residents joined them to observe the scene, the air thick with smoke and ash.

"People were everywhere, standing shoulder to shoulder with neighbors for over an hour," she said. Allen and family returned home to warily watch the blaze.

Helicopters flew over their home, dropped water, flame retardant. Sleep was the furthest thing from Michelle's mind while the hills on the other side of their home were glowing from the growing Cristianitos Fire.

The glow...

This time lapsed twitter movie, taken by Jerod Harris, between 11 and 11:30 p.m. Wednesday evening.

"I maybe got an hour of sleep, I wanted to see if any fire engines came up to our home. One did, and we went outside to ask questions, to see how close the fire was." she said.

Allen offered water, soda and powerbars to the firefighters patrolling her street. Even offered them the use of her bathroom.

"We wanted to help however we could, however small," she said. "These firefighters were patrolling our neighborhood, trying to keep us safe."

The second group of engines she saw were from Lemon Grove, from Carlsbad. "There were firefighters from all over," she said. "They stayed on and were kind and gave information."

An unmarked car with a scanner paused by their residence. "They are doing backfires and taking care of what they need to, but there are no evacuation orders," the sheriff's deputy said.

"Are we going to be evacuated?"

Evacuations were being considered, according to Allen.

"(The deupty) did ask us to take down our umbrellas, patio furniture, and pillows," she said. "We also went inside to prepare to leave."

Chris Allen, Michelle's 16-year-old son, couldn't sleep either. An upcoming junior at San Clemente High School, he helped decide what he needed should they have to flee their Orange County home.

"You realize how much stuff you don't need or want when you have to select what you would take in a fire," she said. "It really makes you think what is truly important. Family. Loved ones. Then heirlooms."

When asked what she packed up, Michelle reviewed the short list.

"Personal papers, items that my husband gave me when we were dating, jewelry and photos. I have boxes of photos that aren't digital, those were all coming with me," she said. "My brother gave me his first soapstone sculpture he ever made, Justin Cobb."

It's like trying to triage your entire life, what really matters.

"I just put it together, and had everything staged, ready to go," she said. "We're still ready, but now we're more relieved."

Chris took only the things that mattered most to him, according to Michelle.

"He was Boy Scouts since he was a Tiger cub," she said. "He grabbed his arrow of light--an actual arrow with feathers that he constructed, rather than an expensive toy."

Michelle said her son chose to bring along his guitars, year books and the arrow along with the Eagle Scout book that he is working on. A mother's pride was evident in her tone during the conversation.

"Chris has his priorities straight," she said. "He just needed a basket and box to hold those things, and a computer that he built, himself."

Thankfully, none of those items needed to find their way into the family car. By noon on Thursday, the smoke plume is almost gone, according to Allen. There is still some smoke at the end of the cul de sac. But, it's nothing like Wednesday.

When asked what she was most grateful about, throughout the harrowing night and experience, Michelle was thankful for the firefighters who manned her street.

"They soothed my son, one man in particular. I wish I would have gotten his name," she said. "He looked my son right in the eyes and said, 'don't worry about it. Go to sleep. We're handling it,' and they did. The firefighters were patient, kind, empathetic and steadfast in their strength that gave me strength to have courage."

Photos, courtesy Michelle Allen, San Clemente Resident