Darryl Cubbedeg was among the homeowners who stayed behind as the nearly 45-square-mile Powerhouse fire tore through thick brush in Angeles National Forest toward his home during the weekend.
He captured video as flames burned to within 200 yards of his home.
"They were way bigger than the houses," Cubbedeg said. "The whole ridge was on fire -- 50- to 100-foot flames.
"I've never seen a fire like this before."
A pickup, trees and brush burned nearby along Lake Hughes Road, but Cubbedeg's home was not one of six that burned during the weekend when flames fueled by hot, dry wind and heavy brush burned toward Lancaster.
At least nine other structures have been damaged.
Ryan Alderson and his family left their home during the weekend. Their home was not damaged when they returned Monday.
"Everybody just started running out of their property, and it just turned into mayhem," Alderson said of the evacuation.
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Other residents who evacuated are still waiting to find out what happened to their homes.
The community of Lake Hughes was under a mandatory evacuation order and Lake Elizabeth was under a voluntary evacuation order. Evacuations remained in place along Lake Hughes Road, including two youth probation camps and the Forest Service's Cottonwood Campground.
Lake Hughes and San Francisquito Canyon roads were closed. Bouquet Canyon and Elizabeth Lake roads were open to residents only.
A Red Cross evacuation center is located at Marie Kerr Park, 39700 30th St. W. Palmdale, 93551.
