Longtime resident says early-morning evacuation left family with "nothing"; praises FEMA, SBA and volunteers

Manuel Alvarado said flames forced an evacuation in the early hours and that he and his family "lost everything." "They told us about 2, 03:00 in the morning to evacuate the area with the loud speakers and knocking on doors, get out, get out, get out," Alvarado said. "The flames were coming. Then we got out with what we had on. We own our home."

Alvarado, who said he has lived in the area for about 50 years, described immediate displacement and reliance on relatives and local assistance: "My wife has a nephew down in Los Angeles that's remodeling our house. So we got a place to stay. There's plenty of help here and we really appreciate that."

The account underscores the human toll of the incident — sudden evacuation, loss of possessions and short-term housing disruption — and the presence of federal and community aid. "Thank God for FEMA. Thank God for SBA. Thank God for all the wonderful people who are out here just volunteering," Alvarado said. "It just, it's overwhelming the generosity and compassion everyone has."

Alvarado repeatedly expressed gratitude to volunteers and aid agencies and closed his remarks with a prayer: "So God bless you all. You are definitely in my prayers."

Details about the cause of the fire, the exact location, and whether Alvarado's home was insured were not specified in the transcript.