COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — Firefighters working to keep more homes from burning on the edge of Flagstaff were treated to scattered showers and cooler temperatures early Friday.
Flames stretching from the Tunnel Fire had raced through neighborhoods near Flagstaff just days earlier. It wasn't until Thursday that a break in the weather allowed fire crews to enter the charred area to survey the damage.
Firefighters found 30 homes and numerous other buildings had been destroyed, with sheriff's deputies saying more than 100 properties were affected.
The fire is touching nearly everyone in the small Flagstaff community in some way. With more than two dozen homes lost and more than 20 outbuildings destroyed, each one has a deeply personal story.
'They did everything they could'
"He told me to sit down," Mary Jerdsen told 12 News.
It's a text Mary said she will never forget.
"There had been a wildfire and they had lost their house," she said.
On Tuesday night, her parent's property, including their home, Mary's sister's home, and another were destroyed.
And it happened fast.
"They did everything they could do to get most of the animals out. They let one of the horses, the goats, and the alpacas free. My dad did go back after they evacuated to try to get the birds out of the house. By the time he got there, the barn was burned to the ground and the house was on fire," Mary said.
Mary, who lives in Florida, set up a GoFundMe page for her family who has lost nearly everything.
"All their memories, everything in their house, gone."
'Everybody's been reaching out'
Pat Jenkins is the founder of the nonprofit 15 Hands & Hearts - an equine therapy company that helps children and adults with disabilities.
The horses they work with were saved, but their shed filled with their equipment was not.
They're receiving online donations so they can continue their program.
"I probably haven't processed the enormity of it but there are so many loving and supporting volunteers that everybody's been reaching out and helping each other."
'I've got baby goats that I can't catch'
The Timberline community is still under an evacuation order with a new spot fire appearing early Friday morning.
Cindy Garcia chose to ignore the order and stay to look after her and some of her neighbor's animals that were left behind.
"I've got horses that I've raised and broke and put hundreds of miles on and I've got baby goats that I can't catch. You take them on as your responsibility. you're responsible for their lives. I'm not gonna walk away from them. I can't. It's just nothing you can do," said Cindy.
if you would like to help Cindy and Mary, you can find links to their GoFundMe pages here:
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