Pocono News Section

Kingston woman returns from California wildfires

Kingston woman returns from California wildfires - Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 4:59PM EST

Thursday, Oct 25, 2007 @04:59pm EST

A Kingston woman is back from being stuck in the California wildfires.

On Tuesday we introduced you to a Wilkes University professor who's wife and mother in law were stranded in California.

We'll they're back now, and today, we hear a first hand account of that terrible natural disaster.

Sherre Klemow of Kingston says she's glad to be home.

She spent most of the week stuck in California's raging wildfires.

"happy to be home, and i hope that this is the last natural disaster that anyone sees for a while," says Klemow.

Klemow and her mother were visiting Klemow's daughter in the San Diego area.

They got to California last Thursday.

By Sunday night, the fires got to close to their hotel, so they evacuated.

Klemow sayd, "the whole area was dark and gray. I looked out at the swimming pool and there was a layer of ash on top of the water. Then we sensed that this is not good. It continued to get dark and just an ominous feeling."

They stayed the night in the lobby of a San Diego hotel.

Hundreds of evacuees and their pets also stayed in the lobby.

Many had lost their homes to the fires.

"i saw some of the best parts of humanity that i've ever seen. People just really sticking together, helping each other. The hotel was magnificent. They didn't have rooms, putting us up in the lobby."

Klemow and her mother got back home Wednesday.

Her daughter Meryl, also had to evacuate her San Diego area home.

Meryl is a 2000 graduate of Wyoming Valley West High School.

She moved back to her home, and other than a little smoke damage everything is all right.

Good news for Klemow, who's happy to her daughter is safe, and who's happy to be home.

It wasn't exactly easy getting back home for Sherre and her mother.

Their flight arrived late, so they had to spend the night in Philadelphia.

She plans to visit her daughter in California sometime in the future when things calm down.