Posse on horseback checks on neighbors

Castaic:

A posse of four residents rode on horseback through Castaic's rugged canyons Tuesday afternoon. Their mission: to make sure everyone in this sparsely populated ranch-style community had survived the flames that had threatened their homes early that morning.

"I've been on horseback for three days," said Lisa Raymond, who led the pack. "This is my four-wheel drive," she added, pointing at her horse Peanuts.

The group first came upon Tony Brubaker and his wife, Sharon:their backyard was charred but their home survived.

"It came right in our back pocket," Brubaker said.

When the flames had made their way up every surrounding canyon, Brubaker decided to evacuate his $1.4 million home. The couple took their two dogs, a horse and a bird, but left 8 chickens.

Raymond next came upon Marv Metcalf, who stayed behind as flames approached his 18-acre property early Tuesday.

"Glad to see you're okay," Raymond said.

Metcalf ignored orders to evacuate so he could protect his two horses. At about 4 a.m., as the flames came down the hillside, Metcalf stood with a hose spraying nearby trees.

Firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service arrived soon after to fight the fire. Metcalf's home survived undamaged.

Raymond kept on riding.

"This is one of those communities where everyone needs to help each other," Raymond said.

-- Jean-Paul Renaud