Major brush fires burning in SoCal amid powerful windstorm

Randy Stoklos has lived in the Castellammare neighborhood in Pacific Palisades for 65 years. He described staying behind and saving his home from burning to the ground - plus putting out fires at his neighbors' homes.

"I've gone through the Woolsey Fire, I've gone through all of them. And I know that actually the guy that stays is the guy who saves his home. I know that a lot of people don't want to hear that, but I'm capable," Stoklos said.

"I've gone through the Woolsey Fire, I've gone through all of them. And I know that actually the guy that stays is the guy who saves his home."

He described dousing a fire at his home, only to discover it reignited at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday.

"I stopped a couple of fires. I stopped one, and then it reignited at about 4:30 this morning, and thank God I woke up at the perfect time and I got it and I stopped it from burning my house," he said, holding back tears. "It's pretty incredible what Mother Nature can do. I hope to never see this again."

After telling us his story, Stoklos said he was planning on putting more gas in his car so he can patrol his neighborhood again to help his community in any way he can.

A wind-driven fire in the Sylmar area rapidly expanded to 700 acres Wednesday with 0% containment.

The Hurst Fire -- one of four major fires burning in Southern California amid fierce Santa Ana winds -- was reported around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 5900 block of Yarnell Street, and within a half-hour it had burned more than 100 acres, Los Angeles Fire Department said.

It rapidly grew in size to 700 acres by 11 a.m. Wednesday as it continued to burn uncontrolled.

Evacuations were ordered for the area north of the 210 Freeway from Roxford Street to the 5 and 14 Freeway split, according to the LAFD.

Evacuation warnings were also in effect for areas of Santa Clarita, along Calgrove Boulevard and the Newhall Pass, Wildwood and Eternal Valley, according to Cal Fire.

As several brush fires continue to devastate Southern California, burning hundreds of structures and forcing thousands to evacuate, authorities said Los Angeles County, and all 29 fire departments within its borders, were "not prepared for this type of widespread disaster."

During a Wednesday morning press conference, Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said there are "not enough firefighters in L.A. County to address four separate fires of this magnitude."

Although authorities had pre-positioned resources across the region in preparation of the wind event, it wasn't enough for what those intense Santa Ana wind caused.

"The L.A. County Fire Department was prepared for one or two major brush fires, but not four, especially given the sustained winds and low humidity... This is not a normal red flag alert," he said.

The Eaton Fire exploded to 10,600 acres in the Altadena area on Wednesday morning, continuing to burn out of control after officials said two people were killed in the wildfire.

More than 100 structures have been destroyed in the blaze.

At a morning news conference, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said the circumstances of the two deaths were not immediately known.

Marrone said there were also "a number of significant injuries" due to the fire.

Speaking at the briefing, Sheriff Robert Luna said two people were arrested Wednesday morning for looting evacuated homes in the Eaton Fire burn area.