John Lucas, whose family has been on Hook Creek Road in Cedar Glen for many years, tries to defend his own property as the surrounding homes go up in flames. Fire crews did not try to protect the homes due to a downed tree and powerline. “If only one truck would help me, I could save my home,” he said. (Carolyn Cole / LAT)
John Lucas gives up the fight for his home and evacuates from Cedar Glen. (Gina Ferazzi / LAT)
A house goes up in flames along Hook Creek Road in Cedar Glen. (Luis Sinco / LAT)
A firefighter keeps an early morning vigil over a fiery section of Highway 18 near Running Springs. (Luis Sinco / LAT)
Fire approaches the outskirts of Julian, jumping from tree to tree. The downtown area of Julian was spared Tuesday night when a wall of flames was diverted by shifting winds, although homes nearby were destroyed. (Mark Boster / LAT)
A motor home burns in the early morning hours outside Julian. (Mark Boster / LAT)
A California Department of Forestry helicopter makes a precision water drop on a hotspot outside Julian, a tourist mecca in northern San Diego County. (Mark Boster / LAT)
The Old fire jumps Highway 18 near Running Springs in the early morning hours. (Luis Sinco / LAT)
Fire burns on Hook Creek Road in Cedar Glen. (Gina Ferazzi / LAT)
A firefighter emerges from smoke after battling a spot fire near Descanso. (Wally Skalij / LAT)
Firefighters in Summit Valley battle flames as they head downhill toward evacuated homes. (Karen Tapia-Andersen / LAT)
A sign hangs in front of a home that was burned to ashes in Summit Valley. (Karen Tapia-Andersen / LAT)
A firefighter is surrounded by embers while tryng to keep a wildfire from jumping Highway 18 early Wednesday morning. (Gina Ferazzi / LAT)
Fire burns homes and tall pine trees on Hook Creek Road in Cedar Glen. (Gina Ferazzi / LAT)
An abandoned dog walks out from a wall of fire on Hook Creek Road in Cedar Glen, just east of Lake Arrowhead. His fur was burned and his back leg was injured. (Gina Ferazzi / LAT)
Fire burns on Hook Creek Road in Cedar Glen, just east of Lake Arrowhead. (Gina Ferazzi / LAT)
Three hundred homes were lost in Scripps Ranch, but some remain untouched by the fire that raced through the eastern San Diego County area. (Geraldine Wilkins / LAT)
The closure of the I-5 freeway due to fire near Stevenson Ranch caused a traffic jam as motorists on the northbound lanes were directed onto the 14 freeway. The freeway re-opened a few hours later. (Myung J. Chun / LAT)
An aerial view of the Stevenson Ranch fire taken on Wednesday, Oct. 29. (Anacleto Rapping / LAT)
Firefighters work in the backyard of a home in Stevenson Ranch. (Anne Cusack / LAT)
Sign on Highway 118 is charred by fire. (Al Seib / LAT)
Jung Kim weeps hysterically as her husband, Sung Kim, tries to get her into a car to evacuate the Sunset Point Neighborhood of Stevenson Ranch. (Al Seib / LAT)
Firefighters pour water and foam on houses most threatened by flames along Chicory Court in Stevenson Ranch. (Al Seib / LAT)
