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CNN Live At Daybreak

California Wildfires: Saved in Arrowhead

Aired October 31, 2003 - 06:04   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The fire in San Bernardino County near Lake Arrowhead has been a major focus of firefighters, too. The area east of Los Angeles is a popular resort area.
One neighborhood in the area was especially devastated by the fire. And the Cedar Glen area lost 350 homes, but at least one Lake Arrowhead resident was able to make an investment in firefighting equipment pay off.

That report from Jeff Michael of CNN affiliate KTTV.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN GLEN, CEDAR GLEN RESIDENT: It was so intense that it took the house behind us like a Roman candle, and there was fire on three sides of me instantly.

JEFF MICHAEL, CNN AFFILIATE KTTV REPORTER (voice-over): John Lucas says some people up here called him crazy when he installed his own firefighting system.

LUCAS: We spent a lot of money, every bit of 30 grand pretty much.

MICHAEL: No one is calling him crazy now. His property is an untouched island surrounded by devastation. John fought the wind- whipped flames with a water gel mixture. He stuck to his plan. It paid off.

LUCAS: It's disheartening for my neighbors, and I guess it's kind of sad, but I'm (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I mean, I was screaming for joy.

MICHAEL: Just up the road from the fire's path, another near miss. Cliff Vogel (ph) and his mom have been waiting, along with others, at the Highway 18 closure in San Bernardino, waiting to learn if their house survived. They had little hope.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pray.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... pray.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just pray.

MICHAEL: Prayers answered. As we drove into Cedar Glen, we spotted a house that fit Cliff's description exactly. It was untouched. We wanted him to know as soon as possible.

(on camera): The house didn't burn.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, thank God! Oh, thank you so much for taking the time to do that.

MICHAEL: And when did you know that your house was out of danger?

TRACY JONES, FIREFIGHTING RESIDENT: Once the fog came in, the temperature dropped and the humidity went way up, so I kind of knew the end was close then.

MICHAEL (voice-over): Tracy Jones and Chris Wilson (ph) didn't need the fire retardant gel. They watched the wind drive the fire away from their homes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We just lucked out, you know, with the wind.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: That report from Jeff Michaels of CNN affiliate KTTV.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired October 31, 2003 - 06:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The fire in San Bernardino County near Lake Arrowhead has been a major focus of firefighters, too. The area east of Los Angeles is a popular resort area.
One neighborhood in the area was especially devastated by the fire. And the Cedar Glen area lost 350 homes, but at least one Lake Arrowhead resident was able to make an investment in firefighting equipment pay off.

That report from Jeff Michael of CNN affiliate KTTV.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN GLEN, CEDAR GLEN RESIDENT: It was so intense that it took the house behind us like a Roman candle, and there was fire on three sides of me instantly.

JEFF MICHAEL, CNN AFFILIATE KTTV REPORTER (voice-over): John Lucas says some people up here called him crazy when he installed his own firefighting system.

LUCAS: We spent a lot of money, every bit of 30 grand pretty much.

MICHAEL: No one is calling him crazy now. His property is an untouched island surrounded by devastation. John fought the wind- whipped flames with a water gel mixture. He stuck to his plan. It paid off.

LUCAS: It's disheartening for my neighbors, and I guess it's kind of sad, but I'm (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I mean, I was screaming for joy.

MICHAEL: Just up the road from the fire's path, another near miss. Cliff Vogel (ph) and his mom have been waiting, along with others, at the Highway 18 closure in San Bernardino, waiting to learn if their house survived. They had little hope.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pray.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... pray.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just pray.

MICHAEL: Prayers answered. As we drove into Cedar Glen, we spotted a house that fit Cliff's description exactly. It was untouched. We wanted him to know as soon as possible.

(on camera): The house didn't burn.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, thank God! Oh, thank you so much for taking the time to do that.

MICHAEL: And when did you know that your house was out of danger?

TRACY JONES, FIREFIGHTING RESIDENT: Once the fog came in, the temperature dropped and the humidity went way up, so I kind of knew the end was close then.

MICHAEL (voice-over): Tracy Jones and Chris Wilson (ph) didn't need the fire retardant gel. They watched the wind drive the fire away from their homes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We just lucked out, you know, with the wind.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: That report from Jeff Michaels of CNN affiliate KTTV.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.