ESS faculty respond to Los Angeles area wildfires

Horrific and unprecedented fires burned through the Los Angeles area communities of Pacific Palisades and Altadena last week. ESS faculty were active in explaining how the rapid evacuation in these communities broke down and collecting airborne data to map the fire and its destruction.

Hurricane force Santa Ana winds pushed fire into Pacific Palisades and Altadena, leading to evacuation notices for tens of thousands of residents. In both fires, residents abandoned their vehicles and fled on foot to escape the rapidly moving fire. Dr. Tom Cova’s research focuses on evacuation from hazards like wildfire, and he was asked to weigh in by multiple media outlets. Dr. Cova explained in an interview to KQED that many towns have limited evacuation routes, which leads to challenges when thousands of people try to evacuate at the same time, causing severe traffic congestion and gridlock. In the interview, Dr. Cova said, "It’s like being at a concert, the density of these communities, and if you leave early, you just stand up and walk out, but if you delay your departure, if you’re spending a lot of time gathering things and maybe hesitating whether or not you’re at risk, then you’ll find yourself in the midst of the main travel pull.” Articles interviewing Dr. Cova can be found on the KQED, Record Searchlight, and Inside Climate News websites.

Drs. Cova and Dennison expressed their sorrow over the loss of life and property in the fires, and hopes that the affected communities will be able to recover. Behind the devastation of these fires are countless individuals and families whose lives have been changed forever. While research like Dr. Cova and Dr. Dennison’s provides important insights, recovery will also take resilience, support, and a collective effort to rebuild. Our hearts are with those affected as they begin the long road to healing.