night. peter? what a dramatic difference in that scene in just 24 hours. thank you. for those tens of thousands forced to flee with almost no warning, it has been a terrifying ordeal. nbc s steve patterson now on the dramatic escape as the fires closed in. out the window, the smoke was thickening as jason fletcher in colorado for the holidays cassidy reporter: shot this video, he was at a chuckie cheese with his wife and family. i saw flames and i yelled, flames. i see fire. reporter: with the fire approaching, dangerously close to the restaurant, they gathered children scrambled to the exit. winds so strong, for a moment they struggled to get out you finally get outside and it s all hitting you and the wind was moving so fast. i felt the wind hitting.
i see fire. reporter: with the fire approaching dangerously close to the restaurant parents gathered chirp and scrambled to the exit. winds so strong. i can t get this door open. i think we are locked in. reporter: for a moment, they struggled to get out. we finally get outside and it is all hitting you and the wind was moving so fast. i felt the wind hitting. that s when danger set in. fire and wind of that magnitude is very dangerous. go, go, go, come on. after a rush to the parking lot, gridlock as hundreds tried to flee the crowded shopping center. i looked back at my son. he was trying to hold back tears. i told him we are going to be okay. we tad a little prayer. reporter: though shaken by the experience. that was the scariest part for me because i said those words we were going to be okay but i was just saying it until i could believe it. reporter: the fletcher family glad to be arrive. thankfully that family is okay, along with thousands of others.
with the fire approaching dangerously close to the restaurant, parents gathered children. with winds so strong, for a moment they struggled to get out. when we finally get outside and it s just all hitting and the wind was moving so fast. i felt the wind hitting and that s when the danger really set in and fire and wind of that magnitude is very dangerous. go, go, go. come on! after a rush to the parking lot gridlock as hundreds try to flee the crowded shopping center. i looked back at my son and he was trying to hold back tears, and i just told him we re going to be okay. we re going to be okay. and we said a little prayer. though shaken by the experience. that was the scariest part for me because i said those words that we were going to be okay, but i was just saying it until i could believe it. the fletcher family glad to be alive.
we finally get outside and the wind was moving so fast. i felt the wind hitting. that s when the danger really set in, like fire and wind of that magnitude is very dangerous. go, go, go, go. run. reporter: after a rush through the parking lot, gridlock as hundreds tried to flee the crowded shopping center. i looked back at my son, and he was trying to hold back tears, and i just told him, we re going to be okay. we re going to be okay. we said a little prayer. reporter: though shaken by the experience. that was the scarest part for me because i said those words that we were going to be okay, but i was just saying it until i could believe it. reporter: the fletcher family, glad to be alive. unbelievable! our thanks to steve patterson for that stunning report. we want to bring in the mayor of boulder, colorado, aaron brockett. we appreciate it. taking a listen to that report from our own steve patterson, it kind of shows how quickly these
12 ounces! sorry, mate. four ounces. i ve been taking the stairs lately. you win, big guy. sorry, scuse me! oh, he looks so much more real on tv. yeah. over 75 years of savings and service. get your rate quote today. bracing themselves for danger s we re listening and watching wind hitting from hurricane irma hitting the caribbean island of saint march ten earlier today. right now it remains a category