Chris Hall was spraying his roof with a water hose Saturday morning when two police officers pulled up to his driveway on McGroarty Street in Sunland-Tujunga.
It was time to evacuate.
“Now it’s mandatory,” they told him. “Get your stuff and go.”
Hall said he wanted to stay but didn’t argue. This was the scene for residents around the La Tuna fire, which has burned 5,000 acres and destroyed three homes near the Verdugo Mountains.
Erratic winds have pushed the fire in different directions, forcing officials to issue evacuation orders in quick order.
More than 700 homes in the area are under evacuation, including 300 in Burbank, 250 in Glendale and 180 in Los Angeles, officials said.
The officers gave Hall 20 minutes to pack, but he said he already was prepared. The night before, he had organized his photos — those of his daughter’s birth, birthdays and visits to the zoo — and important documents, piling them in the trunk of his Nissan Sentra.
“Everything else can be replaced,” he said, sitting behind the wheel of his car and ready to flee.
Earlier that morning, after seeing flames creep up behind a nearby art center, he dropped his 5-year-old daughter and 12-year-old stepson, along with their pet hamster, at a friend’s home. He left their goldfish behind.
Over the last couple of weeks, as wildfires raged across California, Hall said he spent hours trimming trees and pruning bushes in case a fire erupted nearby.
“We did a lot of cleaning,” he said.
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LA County firefighter Kevin Sleight extinguishes hot spots while battling the La Tuna Canyon fire along Crestline Drive Sunday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 2/39
A couple survey the damage as they walk near a cross that remains standing amid the scorched hillside that destroyed three homes and a shed.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 3/39
A home, cars and property lies in ruins as it was one of three homes and a shed were destroyed in the the La Tuna Canyon fire.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 4/39
A scorched hillside and car is revealed after the La Tuna Canyon fire moved through the hills near Crestline Drive.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 5/39
LA County firefighter Kevin Sleight extinguishes hot spots while battling the La Tuna Canyon fire along Crestline Drive.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 6/39
LA Fire Dept. arson investigators search for clues along La Tuna Canyon Rd.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 7/39
Helicopters continue to drop water on the LA Tuna fire burning in steep terrain in the hills above Burbank.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 8/39
A home destroyed by the LA Tuna fire on Verdugo Crestline Drive near the Sunland-Tujunga area. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles TImes)
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A fountain and truck parked in front of a home and property lies in ruin as it was one of three homes and a shed were destroyed in the La Tuna Canyon fire.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 10/39
White smoke is visible above Burbank, CA from Olive Ave.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 11/39
A home and car destroyed by the LA Tuna fire on Verdugo Crestline Drive near the Sunland-Tujunga area. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles TImes)
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Firefighters work hot spots on steep terrain in the hills above Sun Valley on Sunday morning.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles TImes) 13/39
A L.A. County Fire helicopter does a water drop above Villa Cabrini Park in Burbank on Sunday morning.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles TImes) 14/39
A number of deer are on the streets and hillsides in Burbank on Sunday morning.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 15/39
The La Tuna fire continues to burn above Glendale as the sun begins to rise Sunday morning.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles TImes) 16/39
A homeowner uses a hose to water down his roof as the La Tuna fire threatens Sunland on Saturday. The house was spared from the fire.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 17/39
A helicopter drops water as the La Tuna fire approaches homes on Oro Vista Avenue in Sunland.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 18/39
A plane does a water drop on the La Tuna fire that crests into Sunland.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 19/39
Los Angeles City Fire Fighter Robert Hawkins disappears into the smoke while trying to save homes from the La Tuna fire at the end of Glenties Way in Sunland.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 20/39
Los Angeles County Fire Fighters hit hot spots of the La Tuna fire in Sunland.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 21/39
The La Tuna fire approaches homes on Oro Vista Avenue in Sunland.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 22/39
Firefighters work to contain the La Tuna fire near the 210 Freeway.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 23/39
Scorched earth surrounds homes in the Verdugo Mountains above Burbank as crews battle the La Tuna fire.
(Raul Roa / Burbank Leader) 24/39
Sunland resident Jeff Dalton sprays water near his home as flames from the La Tuna fire approach.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 25/39
Residents watch the La Tuna fire raging in the Verdugo Mountains.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 26/39
Fire continues burn in the Verdugo Hills above Burbank early Saturday morning.
(Raul Roa / Burbank Leader) 27/39
A stretch of the 210 Freeway is closed due to the La Tuna fire in the nearby Verdugo Mountains.
(Raul Roa / Burbank Leader) 28/39
Gregory Lasavio evacuates the Glenwood Oaks community as the La Tuna fire rages.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 29/39
A firefighting aircraft makes a water drop on the La Tuna fire raging in the Verdugo Mountains.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 30/39
A DC-10 drops fire retardant on the La Tuna fire in Burbank.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 31/39
A helicopter approaches the Angeles National Golf Club to pick up water to battle the La Tuna fire in the Verdugo Mountains above Sunland-Tujunga.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 32/39
Brush burns along La Tuna Canyon Road.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 33/39
A firefighting helicopter makes its way toward the La Tuna fire in the Verdugo Mountains.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 34/39
Golfers at Angeles National Golf Club play while the La Tuna fire burns nearby in the Verdugo Mountains above Sunland-Tujunga.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 35/39
Flames from the La Tuna fire burn near La Tuna Canyon Road.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 36/39
The La Tuna Fire burns near La Tuna Canyon Road.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 37/39
Smoke from the La Tuna fire shrouds La Tuna Canyon Road.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 38/39
An LAFD helicopter drops water on a hillside to protect homes threatened by the La Tuna fire in the Verdugo Mountains in Tujunga.
(Roger Wilson / Burbank Leader) 39/39
An LAFD “super-scooper” drops a tankful of water on a brush fire in the Verdugo Mountains in Tujunga.
(Roger Wilson / Burbank Leader) Music teacher Valerie Keith was 40 minutes into her work day Saturday morning when her Tujunga neighbor called.
“You gotta come home,” the neighbor told her.
Keith already was already on edge. Her dogs and cat were home — alone — as flames crept closer to her house. She rushed back.
Soon after, police told her she needed to leave.
Keith frantically loaded her pets in her car, along with her two best violins, spilling on her hands the yogurt she had taken for breakfast but hadn’t eaten.
“I thought I was going to be safe today,” she said.
Just about ready to escape, she remembered something. She dashed back inside and grabbed a framed photograph of her mother and a banjo made from a tambourine.
“When you have to leave for safety, then you suddenly realize what’s important,” she said.
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