The woman who died Saturday in her home as the Valley fire roared through had advanced multiple sclerosis and had no way to get out, her caretaker said.

Authorities have not released her name, but her caretaker identified her to The Times as Barbara McWilliams, 72, of Lake County.

McWilliams was the first reported fatality of the fast-moving fire, and her death has raised questions about the evacuation efforts.

On Monday, the Lake County Sheriff's Department issued a statement saying that deputies responded to the area 22 minutes after receiving a 7:12 p.m. call asking rescuers to help her. By that time, sheriff's officials said, the subdivision "had already been engulfed by flames."

The caretaker, Jennifer Hittson, 30, had worked for McWilliams for the past five months, said she had tried for hours to get officials to retrieve the woman, but was told by both deputies and Cal Fire officials that they did not have the time to assist.

"More should have been done," Hittson, of Kelseyville, told The Times on Monday.

McWilliams lived on Cobb Mountain, and though her health was failing, Hittson said, enjoyed feeding birds near her well-kept home. In the midst of the attempts to reach McWilliams, a neighbor confirmed her home had burned to the ground, Hittson said.

Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin said in a brief interview at a mobile command post Monday that "the fire spread too violently and too quickly for us to be able to get to her on time."

Hittson says she has been torn by grief and regret. "I could have made her get in my car," she said.