According to many stories, this year’s fire season will be brutal.
California is in the midst of a severe drought, and we are… waiting for another hot summer† Those same conditions made the last two fire seasons particularly devastating, killing a total of 36 people and destroying more than 14,700 buildings in the state.
There have already been more than 3,000 fires in 2022. A fire broke out in Sierra Nevada Gold Country on Monday and exploded to more than 3,500 acres. The fire, which was 5% under control on Tuesday evening, has forced hundreds to evacuate their homes.
Although we cannot completely prevent fires, we can take measures to limit the damage. Today I’ll share some tips for the best preparation for California wildfire season:
Get your house ready
There are several measures you can take to protect your property from wildfires, such as clearing gutters, trimming shrubs, and adding fire-resistant plants to your yard.
One of the more effective measures is to create a defensible space, a buffer of at least 30 feet (preferably more) between your home and combustible vegetation. The space helps prevent your home from catching fire — either from embers or flames — and provides firefighters with a safe environment to work in so they can defend your property. Read more from CalFire about: how to build a defensible space.
Another important safety measure is limiting where embers can enter your home. Flying embers from a wildfire can destroy homes up to a mile away and are responsible for most property destruction during a wildfire, according to CalFire. Ways to protect your home from embers include: installing metal mesh on your vents and removing plant debris from your roof and rain gutters.
Learn more about how to prepare your home for wildfires in this article by my colleagues Marie Tae McDermott and Giulia Heyward.
Make a plan
Before a fire or other disaster, make a plan for what you and your household will do in an emergency evacuation.
Familiarize yourself with escape routes from your community and decide where to go if you need to get out of your home quickly. And make a list of the things you want to take with you.
See what else you need to consider in your wildfire plan.
Make a ‘go bag’
When a rapidly growing fire approaches, there is usually no time to put together a bag with everything you need to get away from home for a few nights. Therefore, you need to pack in advance.
In a backpack or other easy-to-carry set, you definitely want to take along a set of clothes, a first aid kit, a flashlight and an extra set of car keys. It is also recommended that you keep a three-day supply of food and water for you and your pets on hand.
CalFire has a checklist you can followand The New York Times has additional guidelines on: what should you put in your first aid bag? be ready for any kind of disaster.
Where we are traveling
Today’s tip comes from Charlotte Drury, who recommends the California coast along Humboldt and Mendocino counties:
“I recently revisited the Lost Coast for some beach camping and exploring. I’ve traveled all over the US, Canada and Europe and nowhere have I seen a clearer view of the Milky Way. I traveled to Iceland to see stars like this over a black sand beach and it turns out the best place for both of these things was here in my home state!”
Tell us about your favorite places to visit in California. Email your suggestions to [email protected]† We will share more in upcoming editions of the newsletter.
And before you go, good news
Eric Kugler likes to say that he met Dean Hansell through Ed Sullivan and Ingrid Bergman.
However, what brought them together in February 2011 was GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
Read their full love story in The Times.
Thank you for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Soumya
PS Here is today’s mini crosswordand a clue: Cylindrical Paste (5 letters).
Isabella Grullón Paz and Briana Scalia contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at [email protected]†