California fire season is in full effect this month and as ash rains down on the San Gabriel Valley, it is important to follow Los Angeles County Fire Department guidelines.
As the Citrus College campus and its community are in close proximity to the Bobcat Fire, the school and residents in the foothills nearby are urged to prepare by following the advice of local fire departments.
“The truth is, I’m actually scared that we might need to evacuate soon or even maybe even worse: that our property might burn down,” explained Citrus College student Lucas Brown, 22, of Glendora.
Brown lives in northern Glendora where he says he sees nothing but heavy smoke. He says his neighbors have even begun to meet with each other to prepare for emergency situations this fire season.
In a Sept. 10 email to Citrus students and faculty, Arvid Spor, Vice President of Academic Affairs warned the Citrus Community to reduce their outdoor exposure due to the unhealthy air quality in Glendora.
He asked students to protect themselves as “the biggest health threat from smoke comes from breathing fine particles.”
Spor added a link to a government website tracking air quality, AirNow, showing the Sept. 16 air quality index in Glendora at 166, meaning it is a level red and is deemed very unhealthy for all older adults, children and teens to breathe in while they are outdoors.
“You should reduce your outdoor activities and seek medical assistance if you have difficulty breathing or experience chest discomfort, wheezing or shortness of breath,” Spor advised.
Captain Darren Walker of the Los Angeles County Fire Department said in an email interview that the Santa Ana winds will help move the smoke sitting in the air and combined with the hot and dry conditions, spread the fire.
Walker said residents should leave early and only take essentials when evacuating because it needs to happen very fast. He said leaving early helps you avoid crowded streets and leaves them for emergency vehicles and families doing last-minute evacuations.
“Places that have been declared a high hazard will receive a notice from the local fire department,” Walker said.
If you live in a residence that has been deemed a high hazard area, LA county requires you to remove hazardous weeds and brush from around your property to help stop the fire spread and to give firefighters a larger space to work.
For more information from the LAFD on local fire safety visit lafd.org/safety/education/ready-set-go.
