LOS ANGELES — The Giles family never imagined they would flee from a wildfire.

“It was faster than I could have ever imagined,” said Keith Giles, recalling the chaos of their evacuation as the Eaton Fire tore through Altadena earlier this week.

“We could see the flames coming, and it was just so fast.” Keith, his wife Deisy, their two young sons Lucas and Henry, and their dogs had only minutes to escape.

“We barely had time to grab anything,” Keith shared. “Just the bare minimum — one suitcase for the four of us. We thought we’d be back in a day or two.”

The fire, which ignited on Tuesday, quickly engulfed neighborhoods, including the only home 6-year-old Henry and 5-year-old Lucas had ever known.

“Daddy, was that my room?” Henry asked, heartbroken as he surveyed the damage. The family captured video of the approaching fire from their front window before fleeing. Deisy recounted the terrifying night. “I woke them up and said, ‘We have to go now.’ We had the car packed and ready just in case, but when we saw the fire, there was no time to think — just run.”

The loss has been difficult for the entire family, especially the children, who are processing the tragedy in different ways.

“Henry wants to tell the world what happened — it’s his way of coping,” Keith explained. “But Lucas is more withdrawn, not wanting to talk to anyone.” Since Tuesday, the family has been staying at a hotel miles away, still grappling with the reality of losing their home and belongings.

“There was so much that was important to me in there, and it’s all gone,” Keith said. Despite their grief, they are thankful to be safe and together. To provide their children some stability, they’ve decided to send them to stay with relatives back East.

“We just want them to be happy and not worry about where we’ll sleep tonight,” Deisy said. “Right now, we’re in a hotel, but who knows if there will be space next week. We might be moving from place to place.”

For now, rebuilding is a distant thought as the family focuses on helping their children heal and finding a path forward.

“Everything we lost can be replaced,” Keith added. “What matters most is that we’re alive.”