CARSON CITY, Nev. — For the thousands of South Lake Tahoe area residents evacuated, each day comes with waiting and worrying. Ordered to leave their homes because of the approaching Caldor Fire on Monday, residents were left to find temporary shelter wherever they could.
One Walmart parking lot in Carson City has quickly become a makeshift encampment full of tents, RVs, and cars.
"It's like those movies where it's the end of the world where it's like everybody is moving fast," Eduardo Torres said.
Torres, who is a high school soccer coach and grocery store worker, packed all he could in his car when he got the order Monday.
Ten other family members, including 4-month old Tiago, their dog "Belle," and two parakeets got out, too. Five cars in all, they are renting a home each night and staying together. But they say doing so can be expensive.
"We have to keep finding houses to go to and it's pricey," said 15-year-old Eric Zavala.
A few parking spots away, Lake Tahoe homebuilder Paul Green threw all he could into his RV and trailer, leaving his home behind. He has had a home in Tahoe for 20 years. He says he only had an hour to grab whatever he could.
"Just whatever things I thought valuable I could take with me," Green said.
For those camped in the parking lot, it's simply a waiting game -- not knowing when they can come home and what they'll see when they get there.
Then there are the "ice angels" you might call them, gathering donations and handing out bags of free ice.
"We rounded up enough money to get about 45 bags of ice and so everyone seems to need it," Amie Edgerly said.
While Edgerly drove her truck asking people if they needed ice, another person delivered the ice to them.
For evacuees, it can be an emotional roller coaster. For people like Soccoro Reyes, she was left nearly in tears when asked how she was doing.
"We have a house and we've got our belongings, but the place it probably will never be the same," Reyes said fighting back tears.
Reyes was staying in her RV with her long-time companion. The couple is fortunate. Reyes has a sister who lives close by and is helping them.
All are hoping the winds cooperate and firefighters can do their job so they can go home as soon as possible.
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