Commentary

It is common knowledge that natural disasters will strike from time to time in any country or any American state. People have to deal with avalanches, blizzards, droughts, earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, mudslides, tornados, volcanos, and so on.

Even if preparations are made to cope with these events, they can still wreak destruction and loss of lives. In California, droughts, earthquakes, fires, and high winds can often be quite extreme events.

However, agencies and individuals can attempt to better mitigate the devastation. For example, buildings that are built to code and retrofitted, if necessary, can better withstand an earthquake. In years with plentiful rain, water can be stored to prepare for droughts that arrive in years that have minimal precipitation.

In the recent Los Angeles County fires, people had to endure the perfect storm of dry brush, high winds, and very little rain in the past eight months. For two years, California received plenty of rain, but much of it ran out into the ocean instead of being stored in above and below ground reservoirs. Thus, firefighters had a reduced amount of water resources to extinguish the raging firestorm. Let’s examine some lessons that can be learned to mitigate future disasters.

Some Solutions

First, prioritize local and state budgets. The primary roles of government are to protect individual liberty and maintain public safety. Instead of spending inordinate amounts of taxpayer dollars on homelessness, high speed rail, and sanctuary cities, spend more than what might seem necessary on firefighting equipment, personnel, and law enforcement, to be ready for any catastrophe.

Next, make sure that there are enough reservoirs and other storage facilities to cope with dry years when fire hazards are the greatest. Ensure they are ready for any emergency and that the fire hydrants are functioning properly. Moreover, desalination plants along the coast can provide more drinking water when water supplies diminish in longer droughts.

Third, in brush and grassland areas, allow for livestock and some wild animals to forage and trim the tall grasses. These grasses can turn brown in dry years, and fire can spread quickly from brush to grass and vice versa. Homeowners can also help themselves by keeping brush further away from their homes to deter fire escalation and make it more manageable to contain.

Fourth, local and state budgets should take into account better forest management by cutting underbrush that grows rapidly in wet years. Further, carry out safe controlled burns to thin out brush and dead trees. Parks of all sizes need to enhance human and wildlife safety by keeping vegetation at levels that will mitigate fire outbreaks.

Fifth, when there is a larger fire emergency and firefighting resources are overstretched, enlist the help of private fire companies as long as those companies have experienced and trained firefighters. These crews can supplement local and state funded fire crews in extinguishing fires more quickly.

Sixth, teach young folks about all types of fires and how to be conscious regarding fire prevention. There are both man-made fires and natural fires ignited by lightning. Fire can be beneficial, but it can also be very destructive when handled carelessly. Be careful when handling outdoor barbecues or campfires and extinguish them completely when done. They shouldn’t be used when there are high winds, either.

Seventh, homeowners can fend for themselves in fire prevention by having a good water supply with hoses and by keeping their vegetation as moist as possible. Swimming pools can also be utilized as a water source when a fire breaks out. In addition, from time to time, electric wiring ought to be checked in the home for frayed or loose wires, and having a fire extinguisher on hand is a great backup. Properly store flammable products, too.

Eighth, it couldn’t hurt if the above-ground phone and power lines were reduced in favor of placing them underground. Too many fires have been caused or exacerbated by aging or fallen power lines. This is one method of reducing fires in a fire-prone state—however, it is expensive.

Ninth, businesses and homeowners could also depend less on government insurance plans (such as the FAIR plan) for fire and other disaster protection. They could rely more on private insurance plans combined with their own ingenuity in preventing fires. For those who depend more on the government, the permit process and insurance claims for rebuilding or repair following a fire should be expedited. Apparently, Sacramento is currently attempting to do just that.

Finally, all of the aforementioned actions ought to be carried out ASAP, because fire disasters won’t disappear. They can be mitigated with smart common sense policies that can save lives and property. The best mitigators are proper funding, preparation, readiness, and training to either prevent fires or reduce the impact of fires in the state.