A woman fleeing the Palisades Fire got her car stuck on a boulder as flames closed in; the same boulder may have stopped her from driving into the fire

A year after the Palisades Fire turned a desperate escape from Malibu into a fight for survival, Patty Phillips returned to the place where she nearly lost her life. In January 2025, Phillips was trying to evacuate with her dog, Koda, when her car became stuck on a boulder along a dirt road near Big Rock Drive. Flames were closing in, while thick smoke made it difficult for Phillips to see outside. Fearing she might not survive, she waited for help as her husband, James, searched for someone willing to reach her. As per CBS News, he eventually found Los Angeles County Fire Captain Malcolm Dicks, who agreed to enter the fire zone with him.They found Phillips by following the sound of her car horn and spotting its lights through the smoke. Dicks then helped bring Phillips and her dog, Koda, to safety. A year later, the two reunited at the same spot where the rescue was done. The large rock that had trapped Phillips’ car was still there but was moved outside, serving as a lasting reminder of the moment that nearly ended in tragedy but ultimately helped lead her to safety.How Patty Phillips became trapped in Malibu during the Palisades FirePatty Phillips was trying to escape her Malibu home on January 7, 2025, as the Palisades Fire spread around her. She accidentally drove onto a dirt road near Big Rock Drive where rocks blocked the way. When she tried to reverse, her car became stuck on a boulder. Smoke and flames surrounded the area, which left her unable to see the road or find another route. Her husband, James, had already reached the Pacific Coast Highway and was looking for someone who could reach her. After several firefighters declined, he found Captain Malcolm Dicks. Dicks agreed to go with him and drove into the fire zone to search for Phillips.How Captain Malcolm Dicks found Phillips inside the fire zoneDicks and James eventually found Phillips by listening to her car horn and spotting its lights through the smoke. Phillips was trapped inside with Koda, her dog, while flames burned across the hillsides. Dicks reached the car and helped move Phillips and Koda away from danger. The rescue brought everyone out safely. Phillips described Dicks as a brave man who had risked his life when others could not come. She had sent messages to her husband while trapped, including one saying she was in big trouble. Another message stopped abruptly after she wrote that her car would not move and the fire was nearby. Phillips came to believe that the boulder had played a crucial role in saving her life.Why Phillips returned to the rescue site one year laterA year after the rescue, Phillips and Dicks returned to the area near Big Rock Drive to remember what happened. The reunion gave Phillips a chance to thank the firefighter who had entered the fire zone to find her. She wanted Dicks to see the boulder that had stopped her car and, in her view, prevented a more dangerous fall into the fire. Phillips had already reunited with Dicks weeks after the rescue, but the later meeting was also important. The location allowed them to revisit the moment when smoke filled the sky, and flames covered the hills. It also brought together Phillips, her husband James, and Dicks at the place where their lives became connected by the rescue.How the boulder became a lasting reminder of Phillips' survivalThe boulder that trapped Phillips’ car now remains outside her home with a plaque marking the moment that she believes it helped save her life. The inscription remembers Dicks, her husband James, Koda(dog), and a cat (Socks). Dicks was honoured by Los Angeles County leaders for his bravery during the Palisades Fire. For Phillips, the recognition remains deeply personal. She remembers being trapped with her dog and her final messages that were being sent to her husband. Dicks remembers telling his family about the rescue and wondering whether he would ever see Phillips again. The boulder remains a physical reminder of how a sudden obstacle became part of her escape from the flames.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.