Ring alert saves Simi Valley woman as Sandy Fire destroys her home

A Simi Valley man says a Ring doorbell camera alert gave his wife just enough time to flee before the Sandy Fire consumed their home of nearly 40 years on Monday, making it the first residence known to be destroyed in the blaze, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

The Byle home is the only residence confirmed destroyed so far by the Sandy Fire, which has scorched more than 2,100 acres in Ventura County and serves as a stark reminder for communities across Southern California — including those in the OC foothills — of how rapidly wildfires spread and how smart-home technology can prove life-saving in the critical minutes before evacuation.

Randy Byle was away from home Monday morning when his Ring doorbell camera sent a fire alert to his phone. He immediately called his wife, Beth, and told her to evacuate — taking what she could, including their parrot.

By the time Randy arrived at the property roughly 30 minutes later, the house was fully engulfed. "Oh, it was gone by the time I got here. You could see the flames come through the windows," Randy said in an exclusive interview with ABC News correspondent Melissa Adan, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

Dense smoke made the scene nearly impossible to navigate. "It was so smoky you couldn't see through here. It was really bad. That's why I didn't know she wasn't here. I told the fireman she might be in there, I don't know. And then I tried calling and I found out she was away," Randy said. He stayed about 30 minutes before conditions forced him out. "I stayed around for about a half an hour and it was just too smoky. So I finally got out before it got really bad," he said.

Despite losing decades of memories in the home where the couple had lived for nearly 40 years, Randy said his wife's safety was the only thing on his mind. "She's safe. That's all I was thinking about. That was the main thing. That's what I wanted. Again, it's just stuff," he said.

The Sandy Fire ignited Monday and burned more than 2,100 acres in the Simi Valley area. As of Wednesday evening, firefighters had achieved 22% containment, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. On Wednesday, Randy returned to the charred lot to search through the rubble for his wife's wedding ring.

The Byle home is the only residence known to have been destroyed by the Sandy Fire. With the blaze still only 22% contained and more than 2,100 acres burned, fire crews remained on scene Wednesday evening as investigators worked to determine the cause of the fire.