Army veteran's simple purchase saved home against wildfire in Southern California
After a brush fire nearly reached his home years ago, Jim Cragg devised a plan should another wildfire ever threaten his area. The plan saved his home during the Palisades Fire.
Army veteran saves Palisades home from wildfire using sprinklers and hoses
Jim Cragg shares his strategy to defend his home against the horrific flames.
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. – A simple purchase appears to have saved an Army veteran's home against the deadly wildfires in Southern California.
Jim Cragg said his eyes were opened a few years ago when a brush fire got within 500 yards of his Pacific Palisades home while he was out at Fort Bragg.
"I decided when I got back, I would come up with a plan," Cragg told FOX Weather.
He bought multiple garden sprinklers and hoses to defend the perimeter around his home should another fire encroach.
"I got the heaviest duty hose I could get for less than $100," said Cragg. "Three sides of my house and basically had a pack set aside with the three sprinklers in it. I purchased a fire retardant tube to hose down the side of the house."
Cragg’s simple and easy purchase paid off. Once he turned on the water, it arced, puddled, and soaked the roof as well as the sides of the house, protecting it from the flames. According to Cragg, you can see where the fire came down and was halted by the arc of water.
Los Angeles, CA - January 11: Fire fighters stand guard at a home on Mandeville Canyon road as the Palisades fire spreads towards Encino on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times / FOX Weather)
"My wife came home, she took care of the animals and valuables," Cragg said. "My job was to take care of the perimeter. I got on the roof and pulled those three sprinklers up, set them, and sprayed down the side of the house."
The plan worked to spare his home.
"From that point you can look down my hill and see the 14 houses beneath me that would have been in that path," he said. "And thank God that (plan) worked. There was no guarantee it would work, but it worked."
All his neighbors in the area were not so lucky and lost their homes. Two friends down the hill across the street lost their homes when the flames came up the other side of the road.
‘Straight out of Kabul’
Cragg, a 30-year military veteran who served in Afghanistan, described the destruction left as a war zone.
"I've been in multiple conflicts, to 76 countries, refugee camps, and I've seen terrible things, but this is impacting civilians, people who are not ready for this," he said. "This is one of the worst situations I've seen."
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Cragg mentioned that a veteran-led presence in the community will be a huge help on the road to recovery. Cragg is also a member of the American Legion, and said their post was one of the few buildings left standing in the city.
"You looked around and saw our post was completely intact; across the street, two schools, third school, church, library, all gone," he said. "It was straight out of Kabul for me."
Cragg said he is focused now on him and his fellow veterans helping his neighbors recover.
"They need us as a nation, they need our support. We just happen to be veterans, we’ve been through war and war has come to our town," said Cragg. "I’m here for this, I’m ready for this. As a veteran, we are going to take care of our community."
The Palisades fire has spread over 23,000 acres since it began over a week ago. Strong winds have tampered with the containment efforts as the fire stands at 22% contained.