Santa Monica, Calif. (WBEN) - One former WBEN anchor describes the wildfire scene in California as chaotic, as she has headed to safety, while her husband is helping in their neighborhood.
Emily Smith lives in Southern California with her husband, actor Steve Guttenberg.
"The fires were in the Palisades, and my husband has lived there since 1988, and this has never happened," said Smith in an interview with WBEN. "A lot of it has burned down. Businesses, small businesses, restaurants, houses, and the fires jumped over into Santa Monica, and they just kind of keep going."
Smith ended up going to Hermosa Beach in Orange County, outside of Los Angeles, where she says the sky is pitch black, and air quality is terrible.
She first heard about the wildfire from a friend while at a bakery. People were running, and there was embers falling from the sky.
"I jumped in my car and took off immediately. I went to Santa Monica with my dog," Smith said. "I have a cleaning lady who comes to the house on Tuesdays. I called her, I said, 'Leave immediately.' So she listened, she told me by the time she got her stuff packed and in the car, she said it took almost two hours just to get a couple of miles."
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Whenever there is usually a fire in Smith's neighborhood, crews will put the fire out within a couple of hours, and people usually stay in their homes.
"On New Year's Eve, we had a fire in my neighborhood. Steve was with his mom in Arizona, and I was home with my dog, and I was up until 5 in the morning. Helicopters were flying over. They got the fire out. I wasn't even worried," Smith said.
However, she notes the wind is different this time around.
"50-to-100 mile per hour winds, they can't even fly the helicopters. So they're at a huge disadvantage, and the fires are just spreading," Smith added.
Meanwhile, Smith's husband decided to stay and help in the neighborhood.
"Steve was not in the neighborhood, but he went to the neighborhood. So as we were all running away, he went into the scene and he wanted to help," she said. "Steve stayed with our friends in Westwood, which is in Los Angeles. And apparently now the fires are spreading into Santa Monica, into Brentwood. They just keep going. They could end up in Westwood. So I'm urging him to please come to Orange County, where we're probably safe."
Forecasts are calling for winds to continue and enter Pacific Palisades.