Creek Fire survivor prepares for evacuation as Basin Fire burns nearby

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Preparing for the worst and hoping for the best is Shaver Lake resident David Hornor's mindset - as the Basin Fire rages on in the Sierra national forest.

"Being victims of the creek fire, we became sensitive to other local wildfire threats that are nearby," said resident David Hornor.

Last week as he sat in his kitchen - he could see the fire and helicopters working to battle the flames, so he started to prepare.

"Even as we speak, we're still prepping things, because they're stages of preparation in my mind."

LIVE UPDATES: Crews battle Basin Fire in Fresno County mountains

Family members have opened their homes for he and his wife to stay and one of his nephews will take his four fur babies.

"Because everything that you see can be replaced, but people can't, and my dogs can't."

His readiness is not something he learned overnight.

"We weren't prepared for the creek," said Hornor. " I can see the creek scar, came up within a 100 feet of our property down there, and about 400 feet from where we're standing right now and emotionally it is hard."

He remembers 2020 like it was yesterday. He wanted to stay and protect his home, until his wife said otherwise.

"I got a phone call at like 5 o'clock Sunday morning, and she said David I can't replace everything but I can't replace you, what can you say to that?"

Hornor says he still has trauma from the Creek Fire.

"I call it PTSD, I had to see a professional therapist for two years post Creek."

Now - he's taking action to try and heal his wounds.

Honor says throughout the year and especially during wildfire season he starts to prepare his home with defensible space.

He has all of the vegetation cleared and Wednesday afternoon, Cal fire came for an inspection.

"No violations observed, I guess that means we passed," said Hornor.

And if he gets the call to leave soon - he knows what he has to do.

"I'm not gonna stay, and I don't plan to stay," said Honor.

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