LAKE COUNTY >> An investigator of the social nature of wildfire smoke adaptation decisions in the U.S. West, who is a trained sociologist and social psychologist, presented results of studies done in Lake County last summer of individuals and how the entire community experienced climate related hazards. The findings were made known during a podcast in cooperation with the Risk Reduction Authority July 25.
The RRA ‘s key objectives include implementing programs offering low- or no-cost risk reduction resources to the public, securing funding for these programs, and providing educational resources to help people assess and manage disaster risks. Dr. Francisca Santana works at the University of Washington’s School of Environmental and Forest Sciences. She shared results of 46 interviews, some which originated in two other rural Counties, Tehama and Tuolumne.
“I’m interested in how individuals prepare and respond to climate related hazards such as wildfires, flooding and extreme heat,” Santana said. “(In) Lake County as we’re all aware, wildfire has become more frequent and intense in western U.S. and Canada,” she said. “It’s driven by several factors, fuel accumulation (vegetation debris), past mismanagement and people living in wildland interfaces.” And she furthermore examined climate change related impacts, as well as extensive drought and wind events that comprise direct threats of active wildfire to humans, livestock and infrastructure.
While Public Safety Power Shutoff events are aimed at avoiding utility induced fire, Santana also noted the risks they pose on people who rely upon electric powered medical devices, which they deal with on a daily basis. Compound hazards of this type hit people with respiratory disease hard. There is now a growing interest among the scholarship to pursue more study of compound hazards since it amplifies the complications for individuals such as those dealing with cross border smoke from fires in Canadian burn sites. “So, there is a kind of need to confront the compound hazards and at the same time form policy for preparedness,” she said.
Santana also felt it was important to talk with residents about evacuations because there are people still here who remember having to be evacuated from five years ago. This included sites with potential for wildfire and those that experienced wildfire. Santana inquired about wildfire preparation, how people handled threats when they occur simultaneously.
Four areas of concern emerged, noted Santana: Information sharing and coordination, land management opportunities and location, wildfire mitigation and preparedness resources and fire insurance challenges.
Some interviewees shared positive success, particularly with wildfire smoke and PSPS events. Data filed with CLERC and North Coast Opportunities, promoting community engagement. But it was notably difficult to track information on all topics, because if an information gatherer is not following everything or not aware of all the resources and programs available it is hard to reach everybody, Santana explained, for example, seniors, not all of whom have computers. “How to connect with people is the hardest part,” Santana said. “Invest in communications equipment and develop a centralized information system to inform evacuations, property maintenance and fire alerts.”
As far as regarding land management opportunities, helpful grants came in from Natural Resources Conservation Services, as well as from wood chipping services to help clean up vegetation debris. Yet, risk mitigation efforts on private property remained uneven and land management opportunities remain at a low capacity. Particularly, for roof and siding replacement with home hardening efforts with noncombustible materials. And people need tools, such as gas-powered generators and battery power backups. What is more, distribution of back-up power resources are inequitably distributed throughout the community and at the same time, generators can pose a fire hazard and be expensive to maintain.
Santana received numerous recommendations from her interviewees including Expansion of community wide risk assessments and home evaluations. There are helpful grants available from the state’s Natural Resources Conservation Services. Also, community chipping services can assist the elderly and the disabled to clean up vegetation debris.
County outreach can include training residents in home mitigation repair. Also, expansion of home evaluations and funding to assist modest income earners to pay for rebuilding could be achieved through training opportunities by keeping resources local. Finally, there is the concern of unaffordable home insurance policies. Santana noted there has been little progress on reducing premiums. But basing premiums on local risk assessments, as well as reevaluating zoning ordinances, may help achieve more comprehensive insurance coverage i.e., smoke damage that saves money in the long run. “We need to think more holistically to protect people,” Santana said.
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