The Palisades Fire was still in residential areas as of 2 a.m. Saturday, hours after mandatory evacuation orders were expanded to Mandeville Canyon, Brentwood and parts of Encino, Monterey Battalion Chief Ryan Weddle said. It was reported that the storm had not reached the area, and no serious property damage had occurred. Park fire department.
Weddle was sitting in his truck near the top of a ridge on the west side of the canyon. Outside the window, I could see the fire cascading down a steep, dry hillside, giving it the appearance of a volcano.
“It's quite a distance away,” he said, adding that the wind was light enough for the helicopter to continue flying and sprayed water and extinguishing agent.
Most residents appeared to be following evacuation orders, but Mark Schrundt, 55, who lives near the top of Cordelia Road on the west side of the canyon, was not among them. Never mind that the electricity had been cut off earlier that night or that police approached him to get out.
“It's slowly coming towards us, but not rapidly,” he said.
Douglas Hein, 69, and his son Mike, 30, live a few houses down from Schrundt. They were hanging out too.
Mike Hein, a software engineer who designs apps for the film industry, said his father was the reason he decided to stay. But he said the idea of leaving was tough because he grew up there.
“I'm not going to sleep,” he said shortly after 1 a.m., standing at the top of the sidewalk, binoculars in hand and watching the flames. “Don't worry if you're just watching.”
