Some families returning home in Castaic after fire evacuation

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - Little by little, families evacuated from Wednesday's 5,200-acre fire in the Castaic area are returning to their homes after being ordered to evacuate. 

At the Paradise Mobile Home Estates, one family was clearly relieved, saying they had spent a sleepless night at a motel not knowing if there would be anything to come back to. 

"There’s no electricity," said one resident.

Despite the area reaching temps of up to 116°F and no air conditioning, he's relieved to be home again.

The 5 Freeway, although reopened both ways this afternoon, remains a gridlocked mess as big rigs that had pulled over on the side streets when the fire exploded Wednesday tried to get on the freeway.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Route Fire: Massive blaze erupts in Castaic near 5 Freeway

Old Ridge Route Road, between Templin Highway and Northlake Hills Elementary has been reopened for residential traffic only, so keep an ID handy. Fire and power company trucks need access on that road, which cuts a charred landscape where unburned homes dot the blackened hillsides, a testament to the work of firefighters on the ground and air, where super scoopers joined the battle Thursday. 

One mobile home was lost on the 34900 block of the road, as were a few outhouses and structures.

"It’s a miracle" says one resident. "That more homes were not incinerated in the exploding firewall that engulfed the area yesterday."

"It’ll be an even bigger miracle," says another. "If we don’t get more fires like this in the next few days."