Man and dog survive California wildfire by hiding in creek
A quick-thinking man says he survived the raging wildfire tearing through Southern California by hiding in a creek with his dog.
Matt Armbruster told CBS News that he first ignored official orders to evacuate his Agoura Hills home, which was located dangerously close to the rapidly spreading Woolsey Fire.
However, when Armbruster noticed the flames closing in on his house, he said he began to panic and headed to a nearby creek with his dog.
Armbruster told the outlet that he stayed in the water for almost two hours as the fire burned around him, admitting he thought he would die there.
Thankfully, Armbruster, his dog, and his home all escaped the fire relatively unscathed.
As three major wildfires —the Woolsey Fire, the Camp Fire and the Hill Fire — ravage parts of California, John Benedict of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department urged residents to "remain diligent" and heed all evacuation orders.
"Please stay out of the areas that we determine to be evacuation zones," he warned.
At least 29 people have perished so far in the Camp Fire, making it one of the most deadly wildfires in state history. Two victims have also died in the Woolsey Fire, bringing the official death toll for the trio of blazes up to 31 as of Monday.
Photos of the destruction:
