Some people in Solano County on Thursday began the process of returning to their homes after they were evacuated due to the LNU Lightning Complex Fire.
The Erickson family lost cars and their shed, but their home was untouched by the flames.
"I felt relief," Jim Erickson said. "I saw the house there and I thought, 'OK, that's what matters.'"
Erickson believes their open space and vegetation may have made a difference.
"I sort of suspected the house would survive because of the way we do our vegetation around it," Erickson said.
Dozens of others joined Erickson in returning to their properties Thursday.
"We released phase one to allow people to return to their residences," Capt. Denton Autry with the Solano County Sheriff's Office said. "The phases are released when they are safe and once we feel like there's no falling trees we have to worry about, there's no electrical issues."
Linda Strohmeier was among those with a home still standing.
"My granddaughter called me and she's in tears crying," Strohmeier said. "She was so excited."
