More than 500,000 people are ordered to flee their homes throughout San Diego County. Shelter space had been at a premium until Qualcomm Stadium opened up for thousands of evacuees Monday. KPBS reporter Andrew Phelps was there. Here's the story of one family from Poway.
This is how Ryan Anderson and his twin daughters evacuated.
Anderson : I was asleep, and my girls were in bed, and we had a pound on the door. It was the Poway Sheriff's department. Said that we have to leave. And we open our door, and the smoke and the ash was so bad we couldn't even breathe. I mean, we looked like we were actually a different color when we came out of our apartment.
Anderson says he didn't have time to grab his wallet. He became homeless and penniless in a matter of minutes.
He didn't have time to save the animals, either. He said good-bye to a cat named Lucky, three goldfish, and a shepherd dog with one blue eye. He left the front door wide open.
The family dove into the squad car. 8-year-old Violet had an asthma attack.
Ryan Anderson : The Poway Sheriff's department put us in their car and she was just so... She puked all over his car. And he just said, "I don't care. I want to get you guys to safety.
I met the Andersons at Qualcomm Stadium. Ryan was asking strangers to borrow a cellphone. Little Nickole was getting worried.
Nickole : I have a couple friends, and they live somewhere where the fire's gonna be. And I hope…
Ryan Anderson: Yeah, they live on Midland Road.
Reporter: Have you talked to them?
Nickole: No, but my friends live there. They told me that. And I hope they be OK.
Fire is not new to The Andersons. The Cedar Fire of four years ago devoured the family home in Poway.
Ryan Anderson : So this is not the first time. This is the second time.
Reporter : And even after you lost that house, you stayed in the area. You didn't leave.
Ryan Anderson: No, sir. I couldn't afford to. I'm a single parent who lives on $900 a month. That's all I get. My rent is $850 a month. San Diego County I think is one of the greatest places in the world to live. The reason why is because how compassionate other people are to other people's needs. It gives me goosebumps.
After we talked awhile, Ryan caved in. He pleaded for help to get a hotel room. He didn't want his daughter breathing in the ash all night.
So we put Ryan on the radio. Within minutes, two KPBS listeners called, offering to put them up for the night.
And just as I went to share the good news...
Ryan Anderson : It's gone. I lost everything. It's gone. I lost everything. Shit, I lost... Everything is gone. And probably my animals are dead, too.
The Andersons' entire apartment complex burned to the ground.
Ryan and his girls would have a place to sleep tonight. But they can't go home.
Andrew Phelps, KPBS News.
