Haddon Twp. native living in California recalls fleeing wildfires

Haddon Township native and Penn grad Jim Wallace relocated to Los Angeles for a year for his job.

On Wednesday night, he escaped to a coworker's apartment. Now, like other Southern California residents, he's in a holding pattern.

"It's been a whirlwind the last couple of days. I hope I'm in a good spot now, but time will tell," said Wallace.

He said when he returned home, ash covered his car.

"My car was covered in ash when I got in and when I evacuated last night, it was like flurries coming out of the air. It was definitely a treacherous ride," he recalled.

Cheltenham Township native and Temple University graduate, Amy Miller also lives in Los Angeles. She relocated to Southern California more than three decades ago.

"We just feel like we're sitting ducks in some ways because there are a lot of fires all around, the air quality is awful," Miller said.

The Eaton Fire in the Pasadena area was the first to threaten Miller and her family, then the Hollywood fire. They don't have an order to evacuate yet.

"I'm nervous about the Hollywood fire. If the air quality becomes worse, then we may go even if we're not evacuated, it's just not healthy," she said.