The morning started much like any other. It was cold with a slight haze of smoke. You could feel that winter was about to set in. I was having my morning cigarette and talking to a couple of neighbors. Afterwards I walked back into the house to get dressed and start my day. I was walking into the kitchen as a friend of mine came bursting through the backdoor and went running up the stairs next to the kitchen in search of my roommate. He was yelling frantically "Have you looked outside? Paradise is on fire!" I had just been outside not more than 15 minutes ago. I glanced out the window real quick but didn't see anything abnormal so I put my shoes on and grabbed my jacket as I rushed out the door. I walked down the long wooded driveway and up the main road about 2 blocks to the gas station. My mom was a firefighter when I was growing up so I was pretty familiar with wildfires. Looking down the hill towards Paradise, all you could see was a cloud of smoke and not just any cloud of smoke it was more like a wall. You couldn't tell where exactly the fire was cause it looked like it was everywhere. I had this feeling in my gut that was unlike anything I ever felt. I had this overwhelming sense of urgency even though the town of Paradise was a few miles away. There was something different about this fire I could feel it. I just knew I had to get my family and myself out of here...