CASTAIC, CA (NCC NEWS)–A wildfire can start at any moment in California, and it can move fast and unpredictably. In 2019 259,148 acres were burned, homes were lost, and neighborhoods were never the same. It is now 2020 and it is officially fire season in California, preparing for these inevitable fires is extra important right now. This past weekend a brush fire broke out at Castaic Lake, and residents had no choice but to quickly evacuate the surrounding areas. No one was hurt or lost their home, but Castaic Lake residents are now preparing for what could be one of the worst fire seasons.
20-year-old Castaic resident Linda Donahue says that she has witnessed at least three brush fires in her area every year. Living in a fire-prone area and attempting to put out fires in her own backyard has enforced Donahue to put together an evacuation plan for her family and sentimental belongings.
“I keep a very important box of pictures; CD’s and we always have some dried food available. We also make sure that our cars are filled with a full tank of gas and we put away bags of extra clothes in the trunk of our cars,” said Donahue.
Wildfires are a natural part of California’s landscape, the fire season in California is starting earlier and ending later each year. Many homes that burn in a wildfire are never in the path of flames but ignite from flying ashes that can collect in attics or drift into vents.
“In order to protect our home, we keep flammable materials or furniture away from windows and we are constantly making sure that our water hose works. We’ve been living here for 20 years and we don’t plan on leaving, but every once in a while, we do think it’s possible that we could lose our home, “said Donahue.
