What to pack: Marine uniform and a Purple Heart

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Near Santa Clarita:

As flames slowly made their way toward Stevenson Ranch late Monday afternoon, Ava Raich was busy packing valuables. A sheriff’s deputy came up the street and warned of a mandatory evacuation. Raich, who has five children, including twins, a boy and a girl in the first grade, said she packed computers, important family papers and photographs.

‘I packed each of the younger kids’ special blankets,’ she said. ‘I also packed my grandfather’s WW II Marine uniform and his purple heart. It’s that kind of stuff you can’t replace.’

-- Richard Winton