Major brush fires burning in SoCal amid powerful windstorm

The Pacific Palisades fire is sweeping through neighborhoods at a devastating rate, and now, we're learning just how much of the area might be gone.

ABC7's Josh Haskell, who grew up in the community, believes 50 to 75% of Pacific Palisades is gone, adding that the number is not an exaggeration.

"I cannot explain the level of devastation that I just saw," he said. "My photographer and I are literally numb from driving."

While officials reported earlier in the morning that 1,000 structures had been destroyed, Haskell says that number is sure to increase, noting the entire business district -- including Ralph's, Starbucks, Gelson's -- is gone.

ABC7's Josh Haskell, who grew up in the community, believes 50 to 75% of Pacific Palisades is gone, adding that the number is not an exaggeration.

Here are all the wildfires burning in Southern California at a glance.

Sunset Fire in Hollywood Hills area

- 43 acres

- Mandatory evacuations

Sunswept Fire in Studio City

• No official containment numbers as if Thursday at 2:30 a.m.

• Firefighters remain on scene to fight flare-ups

Eaton Fire in San Gabriel Valley

- 10,590 acres
- 972 structures destroyed
- 5 deaths

Palisades Fire

- 17,234 acres

- 1,000 structures burned

Hurst Fire in Sylmar

- 855 acres

- 10% contained

Lidia Fire in Acton area

- 348 acres

- 40% contained

Woodley Fire in Sepulveda Basin

- 30 acres, contained

Tyler Fire

- 11 acres, contained

A local ER nurse was doing all she could to save her 90-year-old parents' home in Hastings Ranch as the Eaton Fire ravaged the area.

With garden hose in hand, a local ER nurse tried her best to protect her 90-year-old parents' Hastings Ranch home. She expressed frustration that their insurance company had recently canceled their fire coverage shortly before the Eaton Fire erupted.

Amid the firestorm, she expressed frustration that her elderly parents' insurance company had recently canceled their fire coverage.

"I know I'm not supposed to be here, but this is my parents' home. They just got canceled from their fire insurance. So they're dealing with this...They're 90 years old. They've lived in this house for 75 years. They've had the same insurance, and these insurance people decided to cancel their fire. And we're going through this. And it just happened. And they have no fire insurance. Thank you California insurance companies for supporting residents who pay taxes and love California. They wonder why people leave California," she said.

She was hosing down the property with a garden hose late Tuesday evening, determined to prevent it from burning to the ground like the home just across the street, which was fully engulfed in flames.

"There are no words to even describe how heartbreaking ... that's a life. That's your entire life. You don't get that back. The memories are gone. I hope they're alive," she said, wiping away tears.

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.