Armt Vet Saves His LA Home • Hollywood Unlocked

An Army vet shared how a small purchase helped him protect his home from the LA fires. Jim Cragg says he relied on some budget-friendly lawn sprinklers to keep the flames from swallowing his home in the Palisades.

“After the last brush fire got close to us a couple of years ago, I bought these cheap sprinklers, the ones that wave back and forth, and bought hoses,” Cragg told NBC News. “I had them ready, popped up on my roof, turned them on, sprayed down fire retardant on the side of my house, and I left, got out with my family.” 

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According to the news outlet, Cragg’s home sits on a hillside, and he mentioned that as the flames came crashing down, the water from those sprinklers doused the fire, protecting not just his crib but also his neighbors’ homes below. He shared with the news crew that while his family was making their escape, they found themselves cornered by the flames, painting a vivid picture of the chaos like something out of a warzone.

“It was difficult. I mean it’s like Afghanistan-type difficult,’ Cragg said. ‘Everyone up here is doing a great job. I’ve been talking with LAPD, LA Fire. They’re doing everything they can, but it’s a war zone.”

As we previously reported, the fire expanded rapidly yesterday (Tuesday) doubling in size within just an hour, leading officials to issue evacuation alerts for parts of the coastal neighborhood. They urged residents who might need more time to get out to “leave now.” The blaze ignited near 1190 North Piedra Morada Dr., with the Los Angeles Fire Department reporting it at around 10:30 a.m., initially estimating it at 20 acres.

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By 11:30 a.m., Cal Fire had upped the estimate to 200 acres. Just around noon, they started rolling out mandatory evacuation orders for homes in the area, along with some additional evacuation warnings for nearby neighborhoods.

This week, Cal Fire has been ramping up resources as the region braces for some serious Santa Ana winds that can really amp up and spread wildfires. Forecasters are warning of gusts hitting around 60 to 70 mph in many spots, and even up to 100 mph in some areas.

“This will likely be a life-threatening, destructive, and widespread windstorm,” the National Weather Service cautioned on Tuesday. They noted that the “Particularly Dangerous Situation” warning will be in effect from noon Tuesday until 4 p.m. Wednesday for parts of LA and Ventura, including Malibu.