Title: Lessons Learned from the LA Fires: Beyond the Blame Game
As a LA native now residing in New York City, watching my old neighborhoods vanish has been nothing short of devastating. Day after day, I oscillate between disbelief and the harsh reality of the situation.
Growing up in West LA, my high school volleyball team, the unbeatable Culver City Centaurs, regularly faced off against Pacific Palisades High. I could navigate those townscapes blindfolded, having walked those streets countless times.
Sullivan Canyon held a special place in my heart. Those hikes were a transcendent experience, a testament to the power of nature to shape our very being. It's not just the beauty of the landscapes that lingers, but the profound physical and emotional connection I forged with them.
The news of friends and family losing homes, loved ones, and a sense of belonging is a surreal, heart-wrenching ordeal. Even when you can comprehend the devastation, it's still a shock to the system.
Losing your home and community isn't just about the physical loss. The emotional and social upheaval leaves people feeling disorientated, lost in the literal sense of the word. It's tough to contemplate a future when the landmarks of your past have been reduced to ashes.
Mark Twain once likened the loss of a child to standing in the ruins of a burnt down house. He called it a "dumb sense of vast loss."
"A man's house burns down," he wrote. "By and by, as the days and weeks go on, first he misses this, then that, then the other thing. And, when he casts about for it, he finds that it was in that house. Always it is an essential...It cannot be replaced."
Leveraging Community Strengths Globally
Our governments can't always shield us from the full impact of natural disasters like wildfires. In those moments, the power of community comes into play.
Numerous countries have found creative, community-led solutions to this challenge. For instance, Japanese communities use "tsunami stones" to mark the high-water level during tsunamis. Residents know exactly how high they need to evacuate when the sirens sound.
In tornado-prone regions, people have adopted the practice of building underground storm shelters. While not mandatory in law, it's become a societal expectation.
Australia's indigenous communities use 'mosaic burns' – small, controlled burns – to preserve their own land and protect against wildfires.
The Force of Community Empowerment
Proposing solutions for disaster mitigation can be fraught, as we rarely have the context or historical knowledge of those affected. However, one key takeaway emerges: the power of community engagement.
Community fire patrols can complement public safety efforts, and rewards can be offered for reporting potential risks. Kids could be encouraged to locate and extinguish abandoned campfires. And why not engage homeowners to participate in drone searches for wildfires, with the thrill of a 'treasure hunt' as their motivation?
Inviting the public to town hall meetings and planning sessions could unleash a wealth of innovative ideas tailored to local needs.
Soft power can bend the risk curve in our favor. While no solution can ever guarantee disaster immunity, community collaborations can significantly curb the impact.
After learning about the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, I strongly encourage the implementation of community-led solutions similar to those in Japan and Australia. Los Angeles Fire Department could incorporate 'soft power' tactics, like community fire patrols and rewards for reporting potential risks, to complement their efforts and reduce the likelihood of future wildfires in Palisades or other neighborhoods like mine.
