Melissa Anna and her son had a list ready with the items they needed to grab before leaving their home during an emergency.
Both say it was surreal to pack those essential items and come straight to Fresno with loved ones.
For about 20 years, Fresno native Melissa Anna called Pacific Palisades her home.
It was the community where her teen son Blake was born and raised.
Now, her house is among the rows of rubble left behind by the fire that raced through the area this week.
It's a devastating reality Melissa says is taking time to process.
"There are no words. It's heartbreaking and gut-wrenching is the word," said Melissa.
Melissa says because they've had close calls before, they had a list ready with items they'd need to bring during an evacuation.
Blake did all the packing on Tuesday afternoon, while she quickly drove to pick him up.
"I got in before they closed access, Blake did a great job packing up the essential and in 15 minutes we left," Melissa said.
They drove straight to Fresno to Melissa's parents' home, which she calls a blessing during this difficult time.
"To be able to come home and have our tremendously supportive family welcome us in and feed us and hug us," Melissa explained.
Melissa is still staying connected with friends and neighbors in Pacific Palisades, experiencing the same loss and uncertainty about what's next.
"We've all texted and shared pictures for insurance and information and it's just incredibly sad and devastating," she said.
Melissa and Blake hope to one day rebuild alongside their community.
For now, they plan to cherish quality time with family, all with a grateful heart.
"Balancing school and trying to find normalcy but also appreciating what we have."
The fire impacted Blake's school, but students will continue classes online next week.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help Melissa and her son recover from the fire.
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