CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – As deadly wildfires tear through southern California, we’re getting a first-hand account from some Northeast Ohio natives caught right in the inferno.

Kaylie Harden of Cleveland can see the gigantic flames and smoke from her balcony. She lives in an apartment on the Hollywood borderneighborhoods and has a suitcase packed just in case she’s forced to evacuate like thousands of others, “This is so devastating because a large portion of what’s been burned is neighborhoods and communities. When you get an evacuation order, you have to look around your home and decide what things don’t matter and which ones really do. It’s a tough position for anyone to be in. Unfortunately, a lot of people have had to make those choices this weekend — lost everything that was left behind.”

Harden tells 19 News at one point the massive flames were spreading towards her apartment, “It definitely was growing down towards my street. Thankfully it seems like they got a good handle on restraining the part of the fire that was coming down the hill in my neighborhood’s direction.”

The Cleveland native says it’s frightening for residents not to know if the city officials have everything under control.

But most people are using several apps for the latest updates on efforts to control the fire, information on where you can go during an evacuation, and even information on animal shelters willing to foster pets during the crisis.

But she feels it’s not just the massive wildfires creating concern, but smaller fires that keep popping up and may get few resources because firefighters are working to save homes and lives that could be impacted by the larger wildfires. “There’s been fires all over the city and the scary thing is that the winds are so high that they’re able to carry the embers for a mile — which is causing little fires everywhere.”is

Mitch Pannito of Mayfield Heights is also currently in California near Encino and Studio City and says he has not been evacuated at this point even though he can see the fires from his apartment and his job.

He’s also concerned about the pop-up fires because they can quickly spread out of control, and firefighters are working overtime to try and control the much larger fires, “They’ve been closer, a lot closer relatively than these other ones are and that’s the most nerve-racking because you just never really know.”

Pannitto makes it clear he’s extremely thankful for the firefighters risking their own lives to try and protect others’ lives and property. But he says it’s heartbreaking that people have to evacuate and leave so much behind,

“It’s devastating. It’s really sad to see families and generations of homes that people are losing.”

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Thursday was a busy day for the Cleveland Guardians and all teams across baseball. Many players and organizations agreed on contracts to avoid going to arbitration to settle a salary for the 2025 season.

The Guardians were able to come to terms with OF Lane Thomas, who was one of Cleveland’s playoff heroes during their run in 2024.

Thomas and the Guardians agreed on a one-year $7.825 million deal, per multiple reports.

There were some trade rumors earlier this offseason that the Guardians were fielding calls for the veteran outfielder heading into his last season of team control.

For now, it appears Thomas will be with the Guardians for 2025.

The Guardians initially acquired Thomas at the 2024 trade deadline for a package of minor-league prospects. It took a while for the 29-year-old to settle in with Cleveland, but once he did, Thomas was one of Cleveland’s hottest hitters in their lineup.

Thomas hit .264/.295/.560 in September of last season and caught fire once the playoffs started.

He hit a three-run homer in the first inning of Game 1 of the ALDS against the Detroit Tigers and then a go-ahead grand slam in Game 5 off eventual Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal.

Both of those plays were some of the top moments from the entire Guardians season.

The Guardians still have plenty of questions regarding their outfield depth, so having Thomas in the equation heading into the season is a big advantage. He very well could be Cleveland’s Opening Day center fielder at the end of March.