It’s not even the height of wildfire season, but resources are spread thin as firefighters battle multiple, massive fires around California, including some in our backyards.
More than 20 million acres – a modern-day record – have burned in the state so far in 2020.
And the worst, likely, is yet to come.
While there often are summer wildfires, the state’s most destructive blazes typically occur in the fall. But the dry vegetation already prevalent in the region heightens the risk that fires will continue before then.
As firefighters gird against fatigue, they want residents to understand how to help themselves and those on the front lines.
“People can think of it as being our teammates and setting all of us up for success,” Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Greg Barta said. “They should pay attention to what they’re doing and think about how that could start a fire or how that will affect our response.”
Here’s what they want us to do.
Know your routes
Traffic gridlock hampered evacuations during the Canyon 2 fire in 2017, said Anaheim Fire & Rescue spokesman Shane Carringer. That 9,217-acre blaze, which took nine days to contain, was the biggest fire to hit Orange County in nearly a decade and forced several thousand people to flee dozens of neighborhoods, namely in Anaheim Hills.
People trying to evacuate can make it hard for emergency vehicles trying to get in, Carringer said, especially in canyon areas and where there are narrower roads. So residents, especially those in isolated communities, should know what the best routes out of the area are.
Since the Canyon 2 fire, Anaheim authorities have created maps —available on the city’s site— outlining evacuation routes based around major streets including Weir Canyon Road, Fairmont Boulevard and Santa Ana Canyon Road.
“Those residents should be familiar with that evacuation plan so they can safely evacuate,” Carringer said. “But it’s also designed to help first responder vehicles to get up there safely.”
Get out when you’re told to
When you’re told to evacuate, do it. Take what you can’t live without such as medications, baby food, pet food and important documents. But most importantly, get out.
“We understand that folks want to stay back and want to protect their homes but it really compounds the problem for us,” said inspector Sean Ferguson of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
“These fires are emitting a tremendous radiant heat and a garden hose is going to do next to nothing,” Ferguson said. “We have the training, the equipment and we’re ready to get in there.
“Let us do our job.”
Barta added that those who stay behind risk getting hurt and needing help.
“It becomes an incident within an incident,” Barta said. “We’re still battling a fire but we have to perform a rescue to provide an exit from an environment they should haven’t have been in.”
‘Harden’ your home
Everyone should know this part by now. And yet.
Fire authorities all echo that preparation is key especially when there’s already a fire burning near your area.
“Break the fuel continuity by managing the …read more
Source:: Los Angeles Daily News