Pocket Fire: Kachina Village residents get ready for possible evacuation
Pocket Fire: Some in Kachina Village packing up
Many residents in the SET status are voluntarily leaving or preparing to evacuate Kachina Village due to the growing Pocket Fire. FOX 10's Andrew Christiansen has more.
KACHINA VILLAGE, Ariz. - As the Pocket Fire continues to burn, many people who are under SET status at Kachina Village are preparing to leave, or are already voluntarily leaving.
The Latest:
On Monday, June 29, officials stated the fire is at more than 11,000 acres. Some areas are in SET status where people are being asked to voluntarily evacuate, or at the very least, be ready to leave.
The fire remains at zero percent containment, and the cause is still unknown.
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The Pocket Fire has expanded to over 11,000 acres north of Sedona. Officials have placed several communities, including Kachina Village and Forest Highlands, under voluntary evacuation notices.
Local perspective:
"This whole house is like a museum of my life, and so what I'll grab on the way out is whatever I can grab," Kachina Village resident Laurie Morris said.
With a lifetime of memories on the line, Morris is holding onto items from her past.
"It really comforted me after he passed on to see these sweet love letters," Morris said about a journal her late husband wrote her letters in.
Morris is making sure she doesn't leave anything behind inside her home, in case she is told to evacuate due to the growing wildfire. Her priorities include pictures of loved ones.
"That's a shrine to the people that have died in my life, my mom and dad, and my late husband, and there's a picture of us over there. I'd probably grab that… when we got married," Morris said.
She is also focused on making sure to grab the special treasures they passed on to her.
"My mom painted this. My son painted that. My grandfather painted this. Someone from the reservation. My son painted these. This is my great grandfather, so I'm just going to grab and see what I can fit in the car," Morris said.
Dig deeper:
Morris' neighbor is also packing up his most valuable possessions. A motorcycle was seen being loaded up the day before, noted as something important to him.
John Scott Veir, who also lives in Kachina Village, said, "Your Harley, your guns, your dogs, and your money."
But before anyone leaves, they are working to give their homes a fighting chance. Residents are clearing out pine needles and soaking the perimeter.
"So this would be my fourteenth bag," Morris said. "I’m probably gonna do a little more."
People living in Kachina Village are just waiting to hear their next move from officials.
"My brother survived the Alta Dena fire and I think I’m in for a miracle too," Morris said.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Laurie Morris and John Scott Veir.