California Fires

Thank you to everyone who has checked in with me about my family and our home. From what I have read, there are multiple around my home city and the schools have all closed down. Fortunately our area looks like it will be out of harms way- there is just a lot of smoke as you can tell from the picture that my dad took.


Every time I look at newspapers and see the images of homes burning down, it reminds me of October 2003. That was another big brush fire year, and the fires came so close to my home that my parents were packed up and ready to evacuate. That made brush fires, which come nearly every year, so much more real to me. (See Oct. 28 blog entry)

My thoughts and prayers go out to the thousands of people who have lost their homes or had to evacuate, and of course to all the firefighters. For the rest of us, here is a good article that I copy and pasted into my blog four years ago. Just as applicable as ever.

Fires remind us of life’s true priorities, by the Daily Bruin Editorial Board

As fires sweep across Southern California, members of the UCLA community should take the time to put their lives – and this tragedy – into perspective.

So far, the fires have killed at least 17 people and destroyed well over 1,500 homes, making these among the worst fires the state has ever seen. By the time the flames are extinguished, the disaster may be the most expensive in state history.

These fires rage as most students are worrying about studying for midterms and receiving good grades. But some students have much more to worry about – some have had their family homes burned to the ground, while many others are still waiting to see where the winds will turn. As nerve-wracking as midterms can seem, the thought of losing one's home and possessions is unimaginably worse.

Those who know their houses and families are secure should comfort their friends who may be facing numerous obstacles in the aftermath of the fires. And those who must worry about their homes while trying to study for tests should prioritize lending support to their families.

Thankfully, the federal government has recognized the significant impact these fires are having, and has declared a state of emergency in four Southern California counties. This allows federal relief agencies to help cover the enormous costs associated with fighting the fires and rebuilding after them. Lifting this burden off California taxpayers will not erase the emotional and personal losses, but it will help the state recover more quickly – so far, Gov. Gray Davis has estimated the fires will cost over $2 billion.

Natural disasters remind us how fragile and unpredictable life can be, and how weak our technology is compared to natural forces. In a region defined by towering skyscrapers and urban sprawl, we are still occasionally reminded of our true vulnerability. Here at UCLA, we are physically safe, but that cannot make us complacent or uncaring of what exists around us – especially when the events are so tragic.

For the past three days, we have all woken up to hazy, twilight skies. If nothing else, the soot-filled skies should make us think – we are lucky if all we have to worry about are midterms or parties or where to buy groceries. Here at UCLA, we are taught to be leaders, but sometimes it is hard to understand where we belong – especially now.

Sometimes, it is impossible to directly impact events, especially events as large and diffuse as the current fires. But that does not mean students should not care – caring is a crucial first step to making a difference.

While receiving horrible scores on tests for which students spent countless hours studying may seem like the end of the world, students should put their disappointment into perspective. The world beyond the protective brick walls of UCLA is literally burning down, and worrying about losing that high grade point average isn't as important as worrying about friends who are losing their homes.