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Southern California Fires

Source: Dillon Deaton / Getty

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The devastation from the Camp Fire in Northern California is stunning — and so tragically far-reaching.

As of Sunday evening, the raging wildfire has killed 31 people and nearly 7,000 homes have been destroyed.

One of those homes belonged to Katina Scalia, a Northeast Ohio native who has been living in California for the last six years with her fiance and their three-year-old daughter.

Scalia’s home is near Paradise, California, on the edge of a town called Magalia.

Scalia, speaking over FaceTime Sunday, said that while their home was reduced to ashes, she is most grateful her family is safe.

Scalia was at school when she got the call that her home and her town were burning. She said it happened within a matter of hours.

“On the way down the hill, we noticed a bunch of smoke, but nobody had contacted us, no one told us anything was serious. We heard there was a small 10-acre fire that was under control,” she said.

Scalia said she hasn’t been allowed back to see her home yet, but was sent a photo confirming it was destroyed.

“Our firefighters and our police force out here have been doing their best, they’ve been doing an amazing job keeping people safe,” Scalia said.” I know some people are unaccounted for, so I feel bad even feeling devastated about my house being burned down, but we’re all out here trying to do our best.”

The couple’s friends were even able to rescue the family’s two dogs. Scalia works at an animal hospital and said she and her co-workers plan to help as much as they can once they get the all-clear to return.

 

READ MORE: News5Cleveland.com

Article Courtesy of WEWS News 5 Cleveland

First Picture Courtesy of Sheri Determan and WENN

Second Picture Courtesy of Dillon Deaton and WENN

Video Courtesy of YouTube and WEWS News 5 Cleveland

LOCAL NEWS: Northeast Ohio Native and Family Among Those Who Lost Possessions in California Fire  was originally published on wzakcleveland.com