Brooke Palenchar had an uneasy feeling when she left her house as a wildfire closed in over the weekend in the San Bernardino County mountains.
Tensions had been on the rise since Thursday when the Line Fire, which investigators determined to be a case of arson, broke out near Highland to the south. Flames were visible from the Palenchars' house the next day and evacuations were ordered on Saturday.
"I had this really strong feeling as I was leaving," said Palenchar. "I'm like, 'I just knew it was going to get lost.'"
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The home was destroyed with only the chimney left standing and children's burned bicycles in the rubble. The beloved house was home to the Palenchars and their three young children, ages 5, 7 and 12. They tried to pack what they could before it was time to evacuate.
I was grabbing things in their closet, like their baby books and things, and I just started crying and touching the walls as I was going by.
--Brooke Palenchar
"It was so chaotic, and I was just like telling each kid to grab a special bag so they could put their things in," Palenchar said. "I was grabbing things in their closet, like their baby books and things, and I just started crying and touching the walls as I was going by.
"I think every day's been a little more tearful and a little bit harder to process."
Palenchar grew up in the house. She left to start a family, then returned to the home to raise most of her nine children.
Family members have not been allowed to return to the property due to evacuation orders, but they have seen the destruction in news reports.
"It's just so tough to see," said son Finn Haskins. "I mean, you see the chimney and then the top of it shows the fireplace of our living room that we spent multiple Christmases and Thanksgivings.
"My whole family gathered around the couch watching it. And it's just, it's tough times."
Palenchar said the family has received support from neighbors in the wake of the tragedy.
"We've been overwhelmed by the amount of generosity and people just offering support and kindness," she said.
A 34-year-old Norco man has been charged in connection with the wildfire that burned more than 37,000 acres and forced evacuations in San Bernardino County. Containment was at 18 percent Thursday.
The Line Fire is one of three major fires burning in Southern California.
