I guess consider this diary more of a PSA than anything else. As you probably know, there are wildfires raging throughout California, particularly in the south near Los Angeles.
Photo from MSNBC
Fueled by a heatwave, a prolonged drought, and some very challenging terrain, multiple rapidly spreading fires have put numerous structures, civilians, and firefighters at risk.
This is all challenging enough without people being reckless. And so it's really disheartening to see that as always, some people are ignoring instruction, which can lead to disastrous results.
The danger present here is emphasized by the fact that two brave firefighters fell in the line of duty just yesterday, as reported by CNN:
The fire has claimed the lives of two firefighters. Capt. Tedmund Hall, 47, and Spc. Arnaldo Quinones, 35, were killed Sunday, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
The two were killed when their vehicle went down a steep 700-foot embankment while they were fighting the Station fire on Sunday afternoon, Dietrich said.
Hall was with the department for 26 years and Quinones for eight years.
What's going on is very real. Most people have listened to authorities regarding evacuation instructions. But as always, there are some who choose foolishly to stay behind. Not only are they putting themselves at risk, but they're putting at risk the lives of firefighters as well as diverting attention away from the principle effort of fighting the fires, which can result in even more property damage.
Photo from MSNBC
Some people may choose to wait and see if there actually will be a threat posed until it's too late. That's no less foolhardy than those who just decide to "ride it out." As evidenced by the Station Fire outside of Los Angeles, these things can spread out of control far more quickly than you might realize. Just how quickly you ask? From CNN:
The Station fire had grown to 105,000 acres -- 164 square miles -- by Monday afternoon, up from 45,000 acres in the morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's Web site.
If for some reason that's not evidence enough to trust the advice of firefighters, I'd like to mention the story that prompted me to write this in the first place.
MSNBC reports:
Five people who refused to evacuate threatened areas on Monday called to say they were trapped at a ranch near Gold Creek, Los Angeles County sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said. A sheriff's helicopter was unable to immediately reach them because of intense fire activity, Whitmore said, but would try after the flames passed.
"What this says is, 'Listen, listen, listen,'" Whitmore said. "Those people were told to get out two days ago, and now we are putting our people in danger to get them out."
Over the weekend, three people who refused to evacuate were badly burned when they were overrun by flames, including a couple who had sought refuge in a hot tub, authorities said.
These five trapped people are certainly in a most terrifying situation and might not even make it. Their predicament is entirely of their own doing, and yet the firefighters are still doing everything in their power to try to get to these people, and could be facing severe danger themselves.
Photo from MSNBC
By being selfish or stubborn, or at the very best unwilling to call for help while a rescue was plausible, they have gambled with their lives. But again, worse, they've put the lives of public protectors at risk as well.
It's hard to muster any sympathy for these people, and again, the fire department is being professional and impartial and really trying in earnest to help them out.
Obviously this goes for more than wildfires. If you're ever ordered away due to an evacuation, whether it's from fires or a hurricane or a flood, do as the officials say. If you do and it turns out to have been a false alarm, well, you might have been inconvenienced. But if you don't listen to orders and find yourself in danger, you're putting the lives of you, your family, and people you don't even know.
It's irresponsible, it's reckless, it's potentially negligent homicide.
I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here, but I really needed to vent. I'm hoping for the best for those five trapped people and especially the detail trying to rescue them and the rest of the numerous firefighters putting their lives on the line.