10 Years Ago: Witch Creek Fire San Diego 2007

This video captures the reality for so many firefighters battling fires in Santa Ana conditions. Watch as embers fly through the air.

On Oct. 21, 2007, the Witch Creek Fire was sparked near Santa Ysabel.

In the days that followed, several other fires would ignite including the Harris and Guejito Fires.

The Witch Creek, Harris and Guejito Fires would burn about 288,000 acres. Thousands of people were evacuated.

More than 2,000 structures were burned or destroyed.

Ten people were killed.

One of the hardest hit communities was Rancho Bernardo, where 365 homes were destroyed. 

Here are just some of the reports filed by NBC 7 crews: 

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 NBC 7 reporter Rory Devine spoke with one homeowner who was doing everything he could to save his home from the devastating wildfire in October 2007.
Glowing sky over downtown Escondido
Palomar Mt. fire, as seen from Temecula
Joe Cicero
Watching the fire approach homes. Taken at Eastern edge of Chula Vista, Rolling Hills Ranch Neighborhood looking towards Mt. San Miguel
Getty Images
Harris fire near Barrett Oct.21 5:43 p.m. Photo by Robert Johnson.
Shenice Swopes
Fire from behind mountain
Worcester Telegram
Taken at CSUSM at 3:00 a.m. by Jens Rechenberg
Elvia Medran
Looking east from Chula Vista toward Mt. San Miguel
Getty Images
Highway 78 near Magnolia
Photo taken around 2:30 a.m. from Discovery Hills looking southwest toward Mt. Whitney in San Marcos. Submitted by Brad Stoner
Red waves and surfers at South Carlsbad Beach
A Rancho Bernardo neighborhood
The smoke in Carmel Valley at approximately 2:30 p.m. Submitted by Tim Stoops
KNBC
"The puppies we had to evacuate 4 years ago are now full-grown dogs, but other than that (and, thankfully, no live flames creeping over the hills yet), it is, as they say 'Deja vu all over again!'" --Lois Harford
Danny Newhall
Downtown San Diego affected by smog caused by the fires
The Tijuana East at Cerro Colorado (Colorado Hills)
NBC 7
View at dusk from Poway Royal Mobilehome Estates. Submitted by Jennifer Contino
Shots taken from the top of Starlight Mountain Rd. as the Ramona fire was just beginning
The Ramona sky
Getty Images
"The patio area of our backyard is completely covered with ash and ash piles. A piece of paper flew right at our feet. Once you look at the picture you will see that it is a charred piece of newspaper. It had to have flown all the way here from one of the fires going on right now." -- Heather Donovan
PAOLA LOBOS
Fire likely just east of North County Fair, SSE from Hubbard Ave, Escondido
Looking south from South Oceanside on Tuesday morning
Pam Pottle
Around noon in Imperial Beach
North Escondido around 4:15 p.m.
Steve Fitch
Fire at Camp Pendleton threatens airfield fuel depot
Delia granadillo
Southeast end of Sweetwater Lake
Getty Images
Supplies at Del Mar Fairgrounds
Volunteers bring more supplies to Del Mar Fairgrounds
Scott Flanders
Military assist with evacuations
Firefighter on the lookout
Edwin Cárdenas
Burning post
Smoky sunset over San Diego Bay
Rancho Penasquitos at 7:00 p.m. Submitted by Sarah Eishen
NBCConnecticut.com
Photo of the San Pasqual Valley taken around 8:00 p.m. from a home in South Escondido
Sun glowing in firestorm smoke
AP
Taken at Eastern edge of Chula Vista, Rolling Hills Neighborhood looking towards Mt. San Miguel
Another view from the Eastern edge of Chula Vista, looking towards Mt. San Miguel
Get a look inside the ‘burn zone” of the Witch Creek Fire.

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