"It was coming over the hill in our back, so, a couple of the neighbors saw it. I was with the kids, so I was just more focused on getting the kids calm and, you know, 'What are the things you want to take guys?'" said DeLuca.
DeLuca vividly recalled Tuesday's close call. The focus for firefighters was protecting homes and dousing the fast moving brush fire that day. However, on Wednesday, arson investigators were trying to pinpoint what started the blaze.
Authorities are calling the 80 acre blaze suspicious. The Sheriff's Department says the fire began in Malibu State Park, south of the 101 Freeway. 250 firefighters and six water-dropping helicopters attacked the fire and managed to put it out before it could burn homes near Calabasas and Agoura Hills. It was a sigh of relief for residents who voluntarily evacuated to come home to see everything just as they left it.
"It was great. It was like, 'OK guys, now, that was a fire drill. Thank God ... and let's unpack!'" said DeLuca.
Los Angeles County firefighters say arson investigators are working hard on the case and are close to determining the cause and origin.
"I can't even imagine. I think, if it was deliberate, people understand the magnitude of something like that. So, I can imagine it being very, very heavy on their heart to deal with," said DeLuca.
Neighbors say they have so much praise for the firefighters who saved their home.
Firefighters say they cannot say much about the investigation, but they will have more on the cause of the fire on Thursday.
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