Native El Pasoan Returns Home, Fleeing Wildfires

EL PASO, TX. – One native El Pasoan finds herself back in town and staying with her parents, after having to flee California with her children.

Eastwood High School graduate Shelley Williams says the smoke got so bad in her Rancho Santa Margarita neighborhood, she loaded her three children in the car Tuesday and drove all night to El Paso.

Williams said she believes her home is safe from the fires, but the smoke was so thick that her three children were having trouble breathing. She added that the drive out of California was a stunning site as they came close to the fires several times as they crossed to different freeways.

Her children told ABC-7 although it was rather exciting to see the fires covering the hills, it was frightening at times and they were having trouble sleeping through the night, worried that they would have to evacuate. Williams said she has lived in California for 14 years and has seen many fires, but nothing like this.

She added that the thick haze had made it difficult to go outside at all at any time of the day. And like her children, she said at times she became quite scared watching the fires blow through the hills.

“There’s that eerie feeling when the winds blow so strong and you look out your front window and you actually see the fire line moving in closer to you and of course, we were staying in inside, very difficult to breathe.” Williams said.

— Written for broadcast by Andy Guerra

— Formatted for the web by Miguel Martinez