Svirsky, who rode with deputies notifying residents to evacuate, said that many homeowners were hesitant to leave, wanting more time to gather their belongings. Most evacuees left the shelters shortly after checking in, dropping off pets, and leaving notes on the message board. Red Cross shelters Shelter manager Peggy Berry said the West Marin shelter was used by CHP, firefighters, and the media as a place to recuperate more than by evacuees who stayed the night with family and friends. Just three evacuees stayed in the shelter overnight. The community is so amazing.
People just come and see what needs to be done.
Phil Fradkin and his wife Dianne, who lost their own Inverness Ridge home seven years ago to a fire that started in a heater, consoled shelter evacuees who had lost their homes. Berry said she had more volunteers than they could use Tuesday night. By late Wednesday morning the fire had been declared a Red Cross disaster, coordinator Tom Young of Marshall reported. Whether or not they lived in the fire area, West Marin residents gathered in Point Reyes Station and along the Marshall shore to watch the spectacular blaze, which lit Tuesday night's sky from Mount Vision to Inverness Park. From across Tomales Bay, trees and houses could be heard exploding as they were engulfed in flames, creating a hideous beauty that had all the fascination of a glance into Hell itself.