Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

LA CRESCENTA – IT was 2:30 am August 31 when Fil-Am Stanley Mortel woke his family up and told them, they would have to leave.

Police cruisers with their blaring sirens were driving up and down the street of his La Crescenta home on Stevens Drive urging residents to evacuate.

"I just told my wife, ‘let’s go,’" he said to the Asian Journal. "We packed up our things – no clothes, no TV’s, just documents, passports, loan documents… nothing material just things that comprise of our life and left."

Fire department officials called them to return home around noontime that day but Mortel’s family of four remains on their toes.

Just a few miles outside of Mortel’s home is a blazing fire on the mountainside, lighting up the dark night that firefighters have yet to contain.

"The fires are getting bigger and it’s coming down," he said. "A lot of our neighbors are out here with us just watching the fire and just expecting the call from the fire department. Hopefully, we don’t get that call but if we do get it, we’re ready to move out again."

Mortel and his family were among the thousands of people who were evacuated as the Station Fire continued to burn uncontrollably.

According to reports, the fires have already burned more than 150,000 acres, destroyed 53 homes, closed roads, sent people to emergency shelters, and brought a large mushroom cloud of unhealthy smoke on top of LA County.

The fires have claimed the lives of two fire fighters.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has proclaimed a state of emergency in Los Angeles and Monterey Counties due to wildfires.