While August and September are some of the driest months of the year in California, residents who are impacted by the fires along the coast in Los Angeles are seeing tragedy in January. Dry “Santa Ana” winds that were up to and over 100 mph, in addition to drought, were some of the catalysts for the mass destruction in Southern California.
Five separate fires in the area have impacted over 180,000 people who were ordered to evacuate, according to AP. As of January 14, there were 24 deaths, and more than 60 miles of land, buildings, infrastructure and land area have been scorched by the quick moving fires. The largest ones as of today are the Palisades and Eaton fires.
The socioeconomic effects of these tragedies are generally equal because both lower and upper class residents alike are being affected by the disaster.
Truckee residents are not concerned about fire danger as of now, because there is snow on the ground, but in order to be ready for the 2025 fire season, there are measures to take in order to ensure safety and protection.
Go bags, important documents in one place, and extra supplies are some of the things that are necessary for people to compile in order to ensure safety during fire seasons.
According to ReadyGov, there are additional ways to stay safe and prepared for a fire in your area.
Understand warnings and alerts:
Pay attention to air quality and have methods of communication in which alerts can be sent to you. Apps like FEMA, Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) all of which do not require sign ups.
Make an emergency plan:
Help everyone in your household understand what to do if there is an emergency. As well as a plan for anywhere that you spend days frequenting, like places of work, school, daycares or offices.
Check important documents:
Make sure you know where passports, social security cards, birth certificates, marriage licenses and any other governmental documents are. As well as tax records and insurance policies. If any of these are not digital after updating, take a picture or secure all in one place that is easy to grab if necessary.
Ensure that your home is safe:
In the Tahoe-Truckee Area, fire officials frequently check during the summer months that homes have defensible space. This means that there are little flammable natural materials surrounding a home. According to the Truckee Fire Department, “This space is needed to slow or stop the spread of wildfire and it helps protect your home from catching fire—either from embers, direct flame contact or radiant heat. Proper defensible space also provides firefighters a safe area to work in, to defend your home.” Also, make sure there is a place inside your home where you can stay safely away from an outside fire.
Gather Supplies:
Having a first aid kit, a bag of clothes and personal items packed as well as food, extra water, pet food and toiletries ready to leave.
Have an Evacuation plan:
Know who is getting the important information, documents, go bags, pets and anything else that is important to keep away from the wake of a fire. As well as getting away from the fire in a hurry, either in a vehicle or another method of transportation.
As the fire danger in California continues to grow yearly and more and more communities are impacted, being ready and understanding what is happening is important to staying as safe as possible. If there are any other questions about fires and safety in your area visit CA Fire or Frontline Fire.
