Tuesday started like any other week day for Kevin Parker, 41, a resident of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in Los Angeles. Though he was aware of some smoke in the area, wildfires aren't uncommon in California, and he wasn't overly concerned. His daughter's school said they were monitoring the situation, and he headed to his office in Santa Monica as usual.
Soon, though, the day took a devastating turn, as wildfires intensified due to ferocious Santa Ana winds and started to rip through the idyllic neighborhood; Parker's wife rushed to pick up their daughter, 9, from school, and Parker headed home to pack up essentials including their passports and birth certificates so they could evacuate.
