Bill told Jimi to look up at the , near the park. Bill thought he saw flames. went outside with his binoculars. He could see suspicious glow. Using the binoculars, he could see . “God damn it!” he yelled.
He called Bill . Then he and Bill started calling one neighbor another, as they had established a fire warning evacuation plan years ago. The whole community of homeowners managed to get into their cars with families and pets and just a few of material possessions. They all survived the raging fire.
, 48 homes were destroyed and 27 were damaged. fire engines were just not close enough to community to get there before the Santa Ana , gusting up to 60 mph, ripped through the . The next day, firefighters declared that the fire a result of “human activity,” although they hadn’t if the fire was deliberate or accidental.
Homeowners allowed to return to their home sites to damages. Most homeowners were philosophical about their losses. “’ve got our families and our friends. That’s far important than our homes and other possessions,” said Grant.
But Jimi Hendrix was less even-tempered. “Common would tell anybody that you don’t set fires a wooded area when the wind is blowing crazy. Any idiot would know that. As far I'm concerned, these bastards ought to be burned the stake. And I’d grab me a front-row .”