Couple loses home, decades of memories in Palisades Fire

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Thousands of buildings have been destroyed in the Palisades Fire in Southern California. Among them — the home of Milton and Julie Stumpus.

“There were houses on both sides of us burning. The smoke got so thick, we couldn’t see anything. We turned around. At that point I knew there was nothing left of our street probably,” said Milton.

From the moment the first alert came in, he started documenting the Palisades Fire as it grew closer and closer to their home.

“Once it got into Temescal Canyon, and I could see it racing down the Canyon, I knew we were in big trouble,” said Milton.

“This is where we start getting panicked. We’ve got fire tornadoes, which is not a good thing to have in your back yard,” he said, showing a video of the fire from his backyard. “You can start hearing the fire, which is bizarre, and then you start feeling the heat from it, which is also unbelievable.”

They evacuated hours later.

Their home — along with precious possessions and decades of memories — was burned to the ground.

“We’re trying not to just focus on ourselves. That’s not the kind of people we are,” said Julie. “And while it’s hard sometimes looking through a store aisle and thinking, ‘Oh my God, I had that...’ there’s always somebody worse off than you, like moms with children and seniors.”

Milton and Julie have another home in Southern Nevada, where they’re staying now.

They say they’re grateful for their Pacific Palisades neighbors and even strangers helping from afar — as many families in similar situations fight to rise from the ashes.

“It takes a village, as they say. Palisades village. You know, Pali strong, I guess,” said Julie. “It’s our turn now to go through it, and but we’ve had a lot of support.”

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