Supporting Los Angeles: Standing Together in the Face of Disaster 🔥 🌍 ❤️

Reflecting on the rising danger of wildfires and the urgent need for climate action, community support, and emergency preparedness.

Hello nature lovers, climate activists, and emergency responders,

My heart, support, and thoughts go out to the people of Los Angeles facing the devastating effects of the unprecedented fire disaster.

I extend my deepest gratitude to the brave firefighters, dedicated volunteers, and those working tirelessly to protect lives and support the affected communities. To everyone impacted by this tragedy, please know you are in my thoughts and I am committed to supporting efforts that bring healing, resources, and hope to your community.

How to help.

• Donate to Those Affected by the California Wildfires

• California Community Foundation's Wildfire Recovery Fund

• American Red Cross

• Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation

Los Angeles fires | © fire.ca.gov/incidents

Climate Change is Real and Getting Worse

Yes, climate change is real and getting worse!¹

The facts are that the increasing frequency and severity of such disasters are driven by climate change and our continued reliance on fossil fuels.²

These fires, and other climate-related calamities, underscore the urgent need for collective action to address the root causes of our changing climate. By standing together and making conscious choices, we can work towards a more sustainable and resilient future for all.

The death toll from just a few days of intense wildfires in Los Angeles has climbed to 10 people, while many communities remain under red flag warnings amid concerns over air quality. The most damaging fires in Eaton and Palisades have destroyed over 10,000 structures in scenes that have been described as "apocalyptic" and reduced entire neighborhoods to ash. A tough road lies ahead for America's most populated county, as well as its tens of thousands of residents who have been displaced by the infernos.

My Journey to Understand the Reality

I lived in Los Angeles for nearly a decade in the 1980s as an undergrad at UCLA and in my first job as a software engineer living in Culver City.

Sure, people were worried about earthquakes back then. And, the annual Santa Ana winds or devil winds were a recurring theme each fall increasing our stress. There were fires back then too, but I don’t ever remember weeks of smoke-filled skies and burning fires and smoke spreading across the entire region.

I vividly remember many trips down Sunset Boulevard, through Pacific Palisades, and to Malibu. Over the past few years, I have frequently visited UCLA and had the opportunity to hike in the mountain areas that have now been devastated by fires and drive along the scenic Pacific Coast Highway or PCH.

Basically, I didn’t have a clue about this thing called climate change. But, you know who did have a clue? The fossil fuel industry. They knew about it as early as 1954.³ Exxon conducted its research to document the expected impact.⁴

The Northern California Camp Fire in 2018

Many decades passed with more higher education earning my master's from Penn and learning about our reality from Vice President Al Gore in his presentation and film, “An Inconvenient Truth”.

Still, I didn’t really get it. I was busy as a parent raising our children and working in high tech. Even after my son published his Green Actions for the Climate newsletter in grade school, I didn’t make the connection. Like many, I believed it was about reducing pollution and recycling but didn’t realize we were killing our life support system on planet Earth.

I can’t breathe. That’s how I felt in 2018 with the Northern California Campfire. That is when it got real for me. Finally! It was the smoke and dangerous air quality that finally got my attention.

The cause was both climate change and the poorly maintained Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) power lines. The fire started on November 8, 2018, in Butte County, Northern California, and rapidly spread through the communities of Concow, Magalia, and Paradise. The Camp Fire resulted in 85 fatalities, displaced over 50,000 people, and destroyed more than 18,000 structures, making it the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California's history, until now.

The smoke filled the air, making it difficult to breathe. I was fortunate to have a friend who was a nurse and shared a mask with me, which helped immensely. I was lucky then and ignorant of the full extent of the damage. While I did not suffer the immediate effects of the fire, the smoke was pervasive and harmful. This experience led me to question what was happening and why.

Finding My Purpose in Environmental Activism

A year later, I shifted my purpose and went to work at the Sierra Club, knowing that climate change was real, destructive, and would only get worse.

Finally, I felt like I had the most important issue, the survival of our planet for people, and could focus on my purpose with so many others working to address the root causes of climate change and fossil fuels with the Sierra Club and our partners like the Sunrise Movement and 350.org.

Then a perfect storm arrived or in this case a global pandemic. During the 2020 pandemic, when everything shut down, for the first time in decades the impact of climate change actually slowed down. But, only for a moment. With everyone isolated at home, with no cars, air flights, or production, we actually gave our planet a chance to breathe and take a short nap.

Moving to Oregon and the 2020 Wildfires

I moved to Oregon during the summer of 2020 during the pandemic and remote work and had a chance to experience the beauty of the Oregon trees, forests, rivers, and lakes. It felt to me like going back in time to the 1970s when I first moved to northern California with rain, less traffic, and more nature than highways.

But, later that fall, suddenly the wind shifted over Eastern Washington and Oregon and a firestorm rolled through the Pacific Northwest. Again, we had days of fire, smoke, and evacuation alerts and many people lost their lives, homes, and sense of security.

Oregon smoke and fires in 2020 | © Kacey Carpenter

The Importance of Emergency Preparedness

Today, I am thankful to be safe in Oregon and had planned to share a trip report about my journey to the Columbia River Gorge. I’ll share this with you in a few weeks but it does not feel appropriate today.

Instead, we all need to get real and be prepared. Many people are in denial about the realities of climate change, but it's crucial to speak the truth and help those in need. Creating an emergency plan for your family and community is essential for survival.

Our Call to Action

In these challenging times, our actions can make a significant difference. Here’s how you can help today:

1. Support those in need in Los Angeles: The recent fire disaster has left many families and communities in urgent need of assistance. Please consider donating to reputable organizations providing relief and support to those affected. Your generosity can help bring healing, resources, and hope to those who need it most.

2. Create an emergency plan for yourself and your family: Preparedness is key to staying safe in the face of disasters. Take the time to develop an emergency plan that includes evacuation routes, communication strategies, and essential supplies. Share this plan with your loved ones to ensure everyone knows what to do in an emergency.

3. Spread the truth about climate change and fossil fuels: The increasing intensity and frequency of wildfires and other climate-related disasters are undeniable. Educate yourself and others about the connection between climate change, fossil fuels, and these devastating events. Use your voice to advocate for sustainable practices and policies that address the root causes of climate change.

Thank you for your compassion and commitment.

1. https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/tackle-climate-change/climate-change-stories/extreme-wildfires-are-getting-worse-with-climate-change/

2. https://www.usgs.gov/science-explorer/climate/wildfire

3. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/30/fossil-fuel-industry-air-pollution-fund-research-caltech-climate-change-denial

4. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/jan/12/exxon-climate-change-global-warming-research