November 8, 2018, a deadly fire broke out in Northern California near the town of Paradise. Fueled by high winds and extremely dry conditions the town was engulfed in flames within hours and residents had very little time to flee. Exit roads were blocked by fire or jammed with vehicles moving at a snail's pace. At times it was an awesome spectacle to behold, but for the most part, it was an experience that I don't want to ever relive, wondering if I would ever find a way out. What should have been a 25-minute drive to safety took 5 1/2 hours. Photos that chronicle my journey fleeing danger don't do justice to the terror of feeling trapped on various exit roads without a way out, feeling hot embers raining down upon me burning through my clothes while trying to help a stranger save his vehicle and possessions, at the same time attempting to stomp out the burning embers on the ground only to fight a losing battle. It was surreal to see daylight turn to pitch black with the sunlight completely blotted out by the dense smoke. In the near distance, I could hear transformers and propane tanks exploding like it was a Chinese New Year while I watched animals scurrying across the road looking for a path towards survival. It was a war zone. This only begins to scratch the surface of this catastrophe. As of 11/24/18, 84 have perished and hundreds are still missing. This video shows only a portion of the devastation of the day after.