Winnipeg firefighter’s California vacation turns into wildfire rescue mission

For four grueling hours, a Winnipeg firefighter, his partner and a friend battled the blaze and choking smoke near Pasadena — even climbing on a roof to hose down a burning house.

A relaxing California getaway turned into a dramatic fight for survival for Winnipeg firefighter Romeo Petit and his partner, Melissa Elias.

What started as a fun vacation quickly became a nightmare when the Eaton wildfire erupted near Pasadena, fueled by strong winds and consuming houses on its path.

Petit and Elias were out for dinner when they received an urgent call: the fire was closing in on the house where they were staying.

Racing back, they grabbed their friend Adam Stone, his two dogs, and some valuables before evacuating down the hill.

But the sight of the approaching flames and the thought of neighbours losing their houses spurred them to action.

Despite having no firefighting equipment, Petit, Elias, and Stone turned back towards the neighborhood.

Armed with only garden hoses and sand buckets, they faced a wall of fire threatening a community of over 38 homes.

“We just kept our heads down, squinted our eyes and did what we could do to save those homes,” Petit recalled.