An evacuation and shelter center at the Westwood Recreation Center in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The drive was short but eerie, Ms. Duffy said, because the power and all the lights were out. Around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, a neighbor warned Ms. Cowles and her husband of a fire in the hills above the community. Ms. Cowles left a sheet of uncooked peanut butter cookies on the counter in her haste to flee. Ms. Cowles has lived in Los Angeles for about 50 years, she said, but has never had to evacuate before.

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Persons: Rob Sherman, Cecilia Peck, Mr, Sherman, Rochelle Duffy, Eaton, Duffy, “, Ms, we’ve, ” Catherine Cowles, Cowles, Alain Delaquérière Organizations: Westwood Recreation Center, Palisades Locations: Los Angeles, Highlands, Pacific Palisades, Eagle Rock, Pasadena, Temecula , Calif, Altadena, Calif, Arcadia, Monrovia, Santa Barbara, Sierra Madre