The hummingbirds have already returned to the dilapidated grounds of Maurice Carr’s beloved Camarillo home.
It’s a small glimmer of hope for a man who lost nearly everything in the nursing home he lived in for 14 years when a devastating fire ripped through his neighborhood last week.
“It was amazing. It was like heaven,” Kerr said. “We enjoyed the morning hummingbirds and this amazing view. My wife and I were sitting on the patio just beyond this wall.
“I wake up and I remember standing in my room and everything I had was gone.”
The wildfire that started on November 6th was fanned by winds and destroyed more than 200 buildings in and around the Ventura County area. As the flames neared, the Carrs left, leaving behind computers, clothing and chemicals.
But Mr Kerr said there were only minutes left before the terrifying situation took a turn for the worse.
In the shadow of wildfire smoke, Carr sprayed water from a small hose onto the 20,600 acres of burning land. Carr was exposed to the hot embers when he felt someone grab his arm.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and staff at a senior living facility bravely rescued residents from a mountain fire. Macy Jenkins reports on NBC4 on November 8, 2024 at 11:00 p.m.
“I stayed out as long as I could until the firefighters came back, and after the embers hit me and I sprayed myself, the firefighters grabbed my arm,” Kerr said. spoke. “He said, ‘I’ve got to go. Buddy, I’ve got to go.’
“It was a close call. If I had been here three or four more minutes, I would have been overwhelmed in the backyard. Maybe five more minutes and the house was destroyed. I would have died in the house. They… pulled me out.” ”
Photos taken by his wife show Mr Kerr covered in ash shortly after leaving the chaotic scene.
“I’m really lucky,” Kerr said. “So when I say they saved my life, they really did. They’re amazing. I love them.”
This week, Kerr hung two songs from a tree in his front yard. It says, “We are not defeated. We are rebuilding.” Another said: “Thank you to the firefighters and rescue workers. You saved my life.”
He also replaced the hummingbird feeder on the patio.
“The hummingbirds are already back,” Kerr said. “It’s okay.”
The wildfire’s containment rate on Wednesday was 60 percent.
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