PROFESSIONAL photographer Kevin Parry found himself caught up in the devastating California forest fires while on an assignment for an American magazine.

Lowton-born Kevin was the first photographer to reach the town of Julian where for six days a small team of volunteer fire-fighters had fought to save their properties from the fires that swept across southern California last week.

Kevin, who now works as freelance photographer in Los Angeles, made the two-hour trip inland to see first hand how the volunteers of Julian had fought the biggest forest fires in the state's history.

Julian, a town about the size of Tyldesley, had been badly affected by flames as tall as factory chimneys

Kevin says: "Imagine driving though the Pennines and everything you can see is charred, burned and scorched. That was the magnitude of the devastation.

"It was getting dark when I arrived in Julian, there were no street lamps along the winding canyon road and the sign posts had all melted. It smelled like Bonfire night.

"There were no sounds of wildlife. It was getting cold. The normality of everyday life had been left behind. I wasn't in a foreign country, I was on a different planet.

"Eventually I reached a police check-point, showed my press credentials and drove into the deserted one street town. What used to be a secluded romantic getaway was now a base camp surrounded by a barren moonscape.

"I went straight to the fire house. It was the only structure in town that had electricity. As I approached I could hear the reassuring sounds of a television. Civilization restored. Inside half a dozen fire fighters sat around eating Mexican food. Tonight was their first night off, the fire was out and they had saved their town. The atmosphere was jubilant.

"The next morning I was given a tour of the many homes that were lost. It was like a nuclear winter had descended. I was particularly struck by the ruins of one house. All that remained was the chimney stack and the kitchen sink. The dishes were still in it. We left them untouched. They were now the only heirlooms that family had. The residents would soon be allowed back. I was glad I'd be gone by then.

"Further up the valley a fire-fighter sifted through the ashes of her home in search of her mother's urn. 'I've got a better view,' she smiled. Her neighbour's house had also burned down. 'At least now I can see the lake.'

"It was a sobering few hours and not something I'd like to see again in my lifetime."