CALIFORNIA FIRES RAGE. HOW YOU CAN HELP AND BE PREPARED.

Image: Malachi Brooks

CALIFORNIA FIRES RAGE. HOW YOU CAN HELP AND BE PREPARED.

California is literally on fire. WIth nearly 400 fires raging across the state, mostly caused by lightning storms and hot weather, Cal Fire has issued a warning to all Californians to be packed and ready to go should sparks fly in your neck of the woods. Be prepared by having your car facing the road, emergency essentials packed by the door, and important paperwork protected (scanned and/or stored in a fire-proof safe with additional copies in your go-bag). 

Be prepared to take animals and anything important with you, as often you will not be allowed to return to a fire area once evacuations are in order. It is also recommended that for general disaster preparation, that you take photos of everything in your home, including contents of closets and drawers and to store these images in the digital cloud. Should you ever have anything destroyed by disaster, your insurance will expect you to provide detailed information on items, brands, etc. and you will be surprised how unlikely you are to remember these details in the aftermath.

Also, many renters do not carry renters insurance and this is a mistake. Take the time to figure out available policies. Even if you currently are not in danger, use this as an opportunity to get your things in order with these disaster preparation tips. Be safe!

How can you help? Make sure to check in on friends who live in fire zones, and generally on anyone who may be impacted by the smoke. Be mindful of going outdoors as air quality is generally poor right now. Keep in mind that hospitals are already dealing with Covid demands, so the fire disasters are compounding an already fragile medical system. The link below shows ways YOU can help those in need.

The California Fire Foundation's Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency (SAVE) program is currently accepting donations to bring immediate relief to victims of wildfires. Find out about this and other programs and ways to help HERE.