Over the winter, it rained a lot, but now we have something else to worry about… wildfires.
“We’re in the 90s, near the 100-degree mark. It won’t be long before any moisture in the ground has dissipated, and those plants quickly dry out,” said Johnathn Torres, a Public Information Officer – Los Angeles County Fire Department.
“That grass crop is quickly going to become readily burning fuel.”
The Los Angeles County Fire Department has created a program called ‘Ready Set Go’ that outlines steps to keep your city and property safe.
“I can’t recommend it enough that ‘Ready Set Go’ program not only for brush or even for rainy season and flash flooding,” said Torres.
“It’s a great resource. There is no substitute for preparation.”
It’s important to have an evacuation plan, but it’s vital for one Stevenson Ranch resident whose father-in-law requires constant oxygen.
“It’s kind of like going scuba diving, we have to take his oxygen tanks and his machine, and kind of plan that we need to get somewhere else where we can plug his machine in, kind of within about an hour,” said Brandon Boucher, a Stevenson Ranch resident.
Luckily, for one Valencia resident, a built-in system is already in place.
“As missionaries, we’re pretty encouraged to always have a plan in anything that we do,” said Sister Tonga, a Valencia resident.
“We actually have these things called go bags that we get once we get into the field, and they’re full of like first aid kits and emergency numbers for us to call. Water and like food and anything else we need for the next 24 hours.”
Meteorologist Bryan Lewis of the National Weather Service said we could see some rain next week. However, if that doesn’t happen and things remain dry, we might be seeing our first red flag warning next month.
That’s why local firefighters are advising you to keep your houses prepared and have an evacuation plan in place now.
Fire season might come sooner than you think.
