genuinegirly

Do you live someplace where wildfires are a genuine threat? What precautions has your community or family put into place? Do you feel you could play a more active role in preventing life-threatening wildfires?

I live in California, where thanks to dry summers, fire-encouraging native plants, and seasonal gusty winds, wildfires are expected every October - November. When we drive by a burned and blackened hillside, I heave a sigh of relief because I know it will not build enough biomass to readily ignite for another 5-30 years. I do not understand why controlled burns (while it's dry, before the winds hit) are not a more common aspect of our lives here - why wait for our coveted open space to ignite violently on its own and threaten thousands of homes?

About halfway through my lab course this past Monday, the professor walked in and announced that a freeway was closed due to a series of small fires. This forced half of the students to find alternate routes home. One girl received a phone call stating her neighborhood was evacuated, and she should find a friend to stay with for a few days. Out-of-town firemen set up an emergency fire station at some nearby soccer fields and firefighters worked around the clock to put out the fires before they destroyed too many homes. All this chaos, and still everyone expects it, prepares for it, and deals with it. People buy fire insurance and try to live a few blocks from the kindling-laden hillsides with the hope that firemen will stop the blaze before it comes too close. Everyone I speak with seems to feel too insignificant or ignorant to make a difference with policy.

__________________
"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy