California is so hot and dry that not even soaking rain can ease fall fire peril for people and homes
Fire experts are warning Californians to consider evacuating their neighborhoods, especially if they reside in areas that could be affected by a summer wildfire season.
“It’s a good idea to evacuate,” said Paul Aisen, senior vice president of the California Firestorm Project. “There are reasons to do that, not just because it’s hot and dry, but also because of the risk you’re taking on yourself.”
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection released a map of the safest neighborhoods in the state for people or households and businesses that they want wildfire-prepared. The map can be found on CalFire’s “Evacuate or Evacuate Now” website.
The map shows which communities have experienced no or low fire activity so far this summer and could be spared the worst of what is expected to come. Only about half of areas on the map have recorded fires in at least 60 days, or about 4 percent, which Aisen said is consistent with past years.
Even if you are in an area that does burn often, he said, you might still need a fire escape plan, which includes moving your valuables out of the house and taking all the emergency supplies such as food, water and batteries.
“Those things are important to have,” said Aisen, whose organization promotes emergency-preparedness efforts like that of the Red Cross. “It’s better to be prepared, but be cautious as well.” Here’s what you need to know about evacuating:
What the new state map means
For the most part, the map says, fires are not burning as frequently in the safest neighborhoods. In areas where they have been spotted, those fires only have burned around 4 percent of the homes.
In other neighborhoods, the map says, fires have burned around 10 percent. However, the map does not tell homeowners how often their home was burned – if at all — and how many people were left inside, meaning only a few people have been displaced because of a fire.
Also, the map makes clear that the best-prepared neighborhoods are not those with the least fires – that is, the safest suburbs in Southern California. That is true on the map, but