No matter the natural disaster I’ve covered, whether it’s a wildfire or flood, I always come back with a much greater perspective. – Ginger Zee, ABC News Meteorologist
I started receiving calls and texts from family and friends mid-morning on Tuesday, Jan. 7th. At about 2 p.m. that day, I learned my sister had evacuated her home in the Pacific Palisades. I was aware of some winds outside, but I had no idea that the Pacific Palisades were on fire. It wasn’t long before it made national news.
That week, I stayed glued to my new “Watch Duty” app on my phone, staying attuned to pending and mandatory evacuation orders. First, there was the Palisades fire, followed by the Eaton fires in Altadena. Then, other fires started popping up—the Kenneth Fire in the West San Fernando Valley, Runyon Park in Hollywood Hills, and a Studio City fire in a neighborhood off Laurel Canyon.
It was a crazy week that lasted almost three (3) full weeks before being tamped down by the rains on January 25-26. Nearly three weeks of firefighting, evacuations and vigilance by neighboring communities followed. Would my neighborhood be next?
1. Climate Change Intensifies Fire Risk: A recent study revealed that the extreme fires in Los Angeles were exacerbated by three climate effects: increased global heating, lower rainfall from October to December, and an extension of the high-fire risk period into January. These climate-related effects suggest policy change is urgent.
2. Health Impacts of Wildfires: Urban structure combustion has emitted airborne toxicants from hazardous gases (benzene and naphthalene) and particulate matter in the air that can cause respiratory and cardiovascular problems from high exposure. Lithium-ion batteries and household hazardous materials (paints, cleaning agents, asbestos, propane tanks) create hazardous waste residue, which can get into the water supply and contaminate our drinking water for those residents.
3. Fires are a part of California’s DNA. The Chumash Indians, indigenous to the Southern California region, including areas now impacted by wildfires, practiced controlled burns as part of their traditional ecological knowledge. We need to determine whether this is possible with all the structures that have been developed.
4. There’s never enough time to pack your ‘go-bag’. Losing everything is devastating and, at the same time, liberating. Our best memories are in our hearts and minds.
5. Blaming before Knowing is Self-Serving: In today’s highly polarized society, the blame levied upon some by others can be cruel and self-serving. It’s easier to blame others than to take responsibility for what we didn’t do.
This excerpt was taken from my latest Insights from Jonathan newsletter, where I share tools for business coaching as well as more personal stories and lessons that can influence our daily lives. If you’d like to learn more, subscribe to my newsletter here.