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Hey everybody, welcome to a deep dive on something that's pretty much unavoidable if you're in LA right now.

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Wildfires.

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Yeah, and you know, we're not just going to read the headlines here.

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We're going to talk about what you can actually do to stay safe right here in LA.

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Yeah, you know, it's scary stuff, but information's power, right?

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Like, luckily there's tons of info out there to help us.

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Make smart choices.

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Yeah.

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Totally.

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So where should people be looking to stay updated?

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Well, the Cal Fire website is a great place to start.

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They've got these maps that update all the time for each fire, so you can track where the fire's going

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and even see potential evacuation routes.

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Okay, so Cal Fire for the big picture.

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Right.

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But what about more like local alerts?

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Well, the state of California and LA County both have these alert systems that can go straight to your phone.

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We're talking texts, emails, even phone calls.

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Whoa.

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And don't forget, Ventura County system too.

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They cover fires, earthquakes, basics, anything you can think of.

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Wow, so many options.

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Yeah.

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Is there anything out there that's even more hyper-local though?

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You know, there's this app Watch A Duty.

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I think it's super interesting.

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It's got a network of retired firefighters.

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Basically, they monitor emergency radio all day and all night, so you get real-time updates from people who know what's up.

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It's like your own personal fire watch.

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Yeah.

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That's awesome.

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Okay, so we've got information covered.

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Now, what about air quality?

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I mean, even if you're miles from a fire, that smoke can be a real hazard, right?

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Oh, absolutely.

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Yeah.

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And it's sneaky.

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You don't always even smell it.

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Wildfire smoke can travel over 100 miles, and there's no safe level of exposure.

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Yeah.

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And it can really trigger asthma, worsen existing conditions just generally make you feel terrible.

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It's crazy how far it can travel.

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Yeah.

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I remember a few years ago, I was miles from a fire and thought I was totally fine.

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Yeah.

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And then all of a sudden, my throat was scratchy, my eyes were watering.

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I felt totally drained.

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I checked the air quality index, and it was hazardous.

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Yikes.

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It was insane.

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I was so surprised.

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Yeah.

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It's a good reminder that we can't just rely on our senses.

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There are some great websites with real-time readings.

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AirNow.

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Gov is a good one for a quick check.

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And fire.airnow.gov actually has a visual map that shows how the smoke is impacting different areas.

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Oh, that's really cool.

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Like a weather map, but for smoke.

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Exactly.

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Okay, so let's say we've checked the air quality, and it's not looking good.

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What are some things we can do to make our homes safer?

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Well, the first thing is something that seems obvious, but people forget all the time.

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Close your windows and doors.

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You'd be surprised how many people don't.

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Yeah.

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Make sure they're shut tight, like when you're trying to keep the heat out in the summer.

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Every crack matter.

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Exactly.

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And if you have an air purifier, now is the time to use it.

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Make sure you've got a high-efficiency filter, you know, one that can really trap those tiny smoke particles.

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I've even heard of people putting damp towels by their doors to keep the smoke out.

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It's not perfect, but it can help.

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Yeah.

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Anything to create a tighter seal and keep that harmful air outside.

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Speaking of being prepared, though, you know what we can't forget.

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The Go Bag.

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A Go Bag.

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I know it sounds a little dramatic, but seriously, having that prepack bag can make all the difference

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if you have to evacuate quickly.

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It's like your safety net on the go.

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A backpack or really any container that's easy to grab filled with the essentials.

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You know, clothes first aid kit, flashlight, car keys, of course, a three-day supply of food and water.

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It's easy to forget things when you're stressed.

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I remember one time I had to evacuate and totally forgot my allergy meds.

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Oh no.

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Not fun.

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Learn that lesson the hard way.

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That's why that prepack bag is so crucial.

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You don't want to be scrambling for things when you need to get to safety.

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And you know something else we often forget about?

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Our furry friends.

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Oh, that's right.

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Pets need protection, too.

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What are some things we should be doing to keep them safe?

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Well, first off, keep them inside as much as you can when the air quality is bad.

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Smoke inhalation is dangerous for them, too.

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And what about their paws?

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I've heard hot paving can burn them during evacuations.

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Exactly.

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If you do have to evacuate, carry your pet or use booties to protect their paws.

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And they need their own go bag, too, right?

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Like with vet records, leashes, medications, food, a recent picture just in case.

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It's all about thinking ahead and being prepared.

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So we've prepped our homes, our go bags are packed, our furry friends are taken care of.

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What if we actually need to evacuate?

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Where do we go?

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Well, there are a couple of ways to find shelters.

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You can actually text SHELTER and then your zip code to 43362.

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And FEMA will send you a list of places nearby.

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OK.

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LA County also has a list of shelters and some of them are specifically for animals.

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That's good to know.

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And these resources are being updated constantly, right?

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Absolutely.

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Things change so fast during a wildfire.

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So always check official sources for the most up to date info.

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And speaking of updates, another thing to keep in mind is school closures.

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Oh, yeah.

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A lot of parents are trying to figure out childcare right now.

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What's the best way to stay on top of that?

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Well, the LA Times has a tracker that shows which schools are closed because of the fires.

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You can also check your child's school district website.

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For example, UCLA has already announced they're going fully remote for Thursday and Friday.

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Wow, things are moving fast.

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Yeah.

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So I guess the best advice is just contact your kid's school directly for the latest info.

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Absolutely.

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And all this talk about evacuations and school closures brings up another thing, power outages.

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They happen pretty often during these events, and that can lead to some food safety issues.

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Oh, food safety after a power outage.

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That's a whole other topic.

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It is.

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I know I've definitely made some questionable choices when it comes to eating leftovers

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after the power has been out.

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Oh, yeah, me too.

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But there are actually some pretty clear guidelines from the CDC and other food safety experts.

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For example, did you know that a full freezer can keep food safe for like 48 hours?

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Seriously, that long?

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Yeah, it's like a giant cooler.

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A half full freezer is good for about 24.

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But the key is to check for ice crystals.

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If you see them, it means things are still frozen solid.

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OK, but what if things have started to thaw?

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Is it always a toss-it situation?

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Not necessarily.

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Some things like hard cheese, butter, and most bread can be refrozen even if they've thought of it.

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But with things like meat poultry seafood, you've got to be more careful.

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If they've been above 40 degrees for more than two hours, it's better to be safe than sorry.

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Yeah, food poisoning on top of everything else would not be fun.

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Seems like there's so much to think about.

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There is, but it's manageable if you break it down into steps.

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And remember, staying informed is the best way to stay safe.

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We've covered a lot today, but we're just getting started.

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That's right.

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We'll be back for part two of our deep dive,

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where we'll have even more resources and tips to help you navigate this wildfire situation.

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Stay safe out there and remember, we're all in this together.

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You know, it's easy to feel overwhelmed with all this going on,

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but it's kind of cool to see how many resources are out there to help.

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Yeah, I agree.

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It's about feeling prepared, not panicked.

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And speaking of preparedness, something I haven't really thought about is like the financial impact of these fires.

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I mean, insurance can only do so much right.

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That's a really good point.

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The financial side of things can be tough,

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but luckily FEMA offers financial help to people impacted by disasters, including these wildfires.

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Oh, wow.

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Okay, that's good to know.

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So what kind of things can FEMA actually help with?

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Oh, if your home's been damaged, we had to evacuate.

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They can help with temporary housing.

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They can also help with home repairs and even replacing essential stuff that was lost in the fire.

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Wow, they could be a lifesaver for people.

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Yeah.

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Where can people go to learn more about that?

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Their website, disasterassistance.gov, is a good place to start.

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It's got all the details about who's eligible,

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how to apply, and what kind of help they offer.

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Okay, perfect.

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Yeah.

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And are there any local organizations that can help too?

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For sure.

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The Red Cross is a great resource.

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They offer a bunch of services like financial aid shelter, even emotional support.

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And a lot of times you see community organizations stepping up to help as well.

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Yeah, it's pretty amazing to see people coming together to support each other.

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Like it really shows how strong this community is.

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You mentioned emotional support though, and that's something we haven't really talked about.

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Wildfires can be super dramatic, even if you don't lose your home.

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You're so right.

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It's not just about physical safety.

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It's about mental and emotional well-being too.

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And there are definitely resources for that.

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Like what, for example?

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Well, there's the Disaster Distress Helpline.

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It's a 247 hotline that offers crisis counseling and support for anyone who's been through a disaster.

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You can call or text and they'll connect you with a counselor.

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Sometimes just talking to someone who gets it can make a world of difference.

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That's amazing.

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Yeah.

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Are there other options for emotional support too?

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Of course.

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Lots of mental health professionals specialize in trauma and disaster recovery.

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So don't hesitate to reach out to a therapist or counselor if you need help processing things.

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Yeah, it's easy to focus on the immediate danger, but the recovery process is a long road.

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Having those support systems is so important.

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Totally.

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It's a marathon, not a sprint.

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And it reminds us that even though wildfires are destructive,

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they can also bring communities together in incredible ways, like you see neighbors helping

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neighbors volunteers offering support.

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It's a real sense of resilience.

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Okay, so we've covered a lot from staying informed and prepping our homes to evacuations and support

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resources.

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But is there anything people can do right now to be ready for future smoke events?

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Like this seems to be the new normal in LA.

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That's a great question.

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One thing everyone should do is stock up on N95 masks.

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Those are the ones that really filter out those tiny smoke particles.

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Right, because I've heard that those surgical masks and cloth masks aren't as good for wildfire smoke.

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They might help a little with bigger particles, but for the really small stuff that can hurt

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your lungs, N95s are the best.

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So N95 masks are a must.

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What else?

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Another good thing is to make sure you've got clean AC filters ready to go.

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When the air is bad, your AC is working overtime, and a clean filter helps it run better and clean

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the air inside your home more effectively.

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Oh, that's a good point. I need to get on that.

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There's also this really cool resource I wanted to mention.

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It's the South Coast Air Quality Management District, or AQMD.

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They have an interactive map that shows real-time air quality data for different areas.

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You can zoom in on your neighborhood and see what's going on.

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Oh, wow. That's awesome. I'm a visual person, so I love maps.

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And the best part is you can sign up for air quality alerts from them.

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They'll send you notifications when the air quality in your area reaches certain levels,

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so you can take precautions.

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It's like a smoke alarm for your neighborhood.

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I'm signing up for that right now.

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This all just shows how important it is to be informed and prepared.

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For sure. And speaking of preparedness, I think it's so important for everyone to have a family

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emergency plan.

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Okay, so let's talk about that.

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What are the key things that should be in a good family emergency plan?

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Well, first, you need a designated meeting place in case your family gets separated during an

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evacuation. It could be a friend's house outside the fire zone, a community center,

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even a landmark, something easy to find and safe.

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Right. You don't want to be trying to figure that out in the middle of an emergency.

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What else?

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It's super important to have a communication plan. Figure out who you'll contact if there's an

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emergency and make sure everyone in the family has those numbers saved.

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And what about if cell service is out? It's good to have a backup, right?

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Like walkie-talkies or a designated radio station to tune into.

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That's a really good point.

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And while we're on backups, it's also smart to have a backup evacuation route plan

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just in case your main one is blocked.

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Oh wow. I hadn't thought of that. It's all about thinking ahead.

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Exactly. And lastly, make sure everyone in the family knows how to shut off the gas water

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and electricity in your house.

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Oh yeah. That's easy to forget.

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But it's important to prevent more damage. Maybe we should all practice that a couple

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times a year.

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Absolutely. Practice makes perfect, especially when it comes to safety.

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You know, it's been great talking through all this.

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Yeah, me too. I feel a lot more prepared now than I did before we started.

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That's great to hear. And remember, this is just a starting point.

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There are so many resources out there. Take some time to explore, learn more,

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and don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it.

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Yeah. There's no shame in asking for help. In fact, it's a sign of strength.

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We're all in this together, so we've covered a ton today.

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But don't worry, we'll be back for part three of our deep dive

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with even more tips and advice for staying safe during this wildfire season.

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Until then, stay safe and remember, we're here for you.

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Welcome back to our deep dive. I feel like we've talked about so much already.

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We have. It's a lot to take in.

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Yeah, from real-time info and air quality to getting our homes ready and making those emergency

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plans. But you know, something that's been on my mind is what happens after a fire.

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Like, it's not just about surviving the flames.

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Right. So, at the long-term effects, the recovery process can be just as tough as the fire itself.

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Totally. And one thing I worry about is the money part.

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Yeah. Like, insurance can only do so much.

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Yeah. That financial burden can be really heavy.

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But there are some resources out there to help people.

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Oh, that's good to know. So, what kind of resources are we talking about?

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Well, FEMA offers financial help to people who've been affected by disasters.

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And that includes wildfires. They can help with things like temporary housing if you've had to

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evacuate. They can help with repairs to your home and even replacing essential stuff that got destroyed.

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That's amazing. Yeah.

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Where should people go to learn more about that?

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Their website's a good place to start, disasterassistance.gov.

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It's got all the details on who qualifies, how to apply, and what kind of help they give.

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Perfect. And are there any local organizations that can help, too?

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Definitely. The Red Cross is a great resource. They do a lot, like financial assistance,

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finding shelter, emotional support. And you know, we always see local community groups

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stepping up to help, too.

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Yeah. It's amazing how people come together when something like this happens.

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It really shows how strong this community is. You mentioned emotional support.

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Yeah. And that's so important, too. Wildfires are traumatic experiences.

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Absolutely. And even if you don't lose your home, it can still be really hard to process everything.

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Yeah, for sure. Where can people find that kind of support?

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Well, there's a great hotline called the Disaster to Stress Helpline.

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It's available 24-7 and it offers crisis counseling and support.

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For anyone who's been through a disaster, you can call or text and they'll connect you with

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someone who can help.

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Sometimes just talking to someone who understands what you're going through can make all the difference.

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It really can. And there are also therapists and counselors who specialize in trauma and

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disaster recovery. So if you need help processing everything, please don't hesitate to reach out

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to them.

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You know, it's so easy to focus on the immediate danger, but the recovery process is important,

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too. It's like a marathon, not a sprint. Having those support systems in place can make a huge

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difference.

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You're right. It's a long road. And it's a good reminder that even though wildfires are

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destructive, they can also bring communities together. You see neighbors helping each other,

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volunteers offering support. It's really inspiring.

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It really is. So we've talked about a lot in this deep dive, understanding how wildfires

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work, staying informed, prepping our homes, finding support during recovery.

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If there's one thing I want people to take away from this, it's that we're not alone.

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There are resources out there, people who care, and there's always hope.

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I could have said it better myself. The human spirit, especially here in LA, is incredible.

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It really is. And on that note, we're going to wrap up our deep dive into navigating LA's wildfires.

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We hope you found this helpful and maybe even a little bit empowering.

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Stay safe out there.

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Stay informed and stay connected. We're all in this together.