“It’s better to evacuate five hours too soon than five seconds too late.� —Los Angeles County Fire Chief Drew Smith Topanga is a beautiful place to live, but it is a designated “Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone,� especially so under the current drought conditions. More than 70 Topangans joined in an Emergency Preparedness Workshop via Zoom on Saturday, July 9, to learn more about their role as Topanga residents in preventing and preparing for a wildfire. The event was sponsored by the Topanga Canyon Town Council (TCTC) with president Carrie Carrier facilitating with first responders and local organizations who are dedicated to educating people, lending their voice about what to do when a wildfire threatens the Canyon. To its credit, Topanga, has an unprecedented level of community volunteers, who, having experienced wildfires, created what became essential—but still volunteer—organizations such as the Topanga Coalition for Emergency Preparedness (TCEP), Arson Watch, the Topanga Fire Safe Council (TFSC), Neighborhood Networks (NN), and a local chapter of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Topanga is also covered by numerous government agencies and emergency responders such as L.A. County Fire (LACoFD), L.A. City Fire, the Mountains Resource Conservation Authority (MRCA), L.A. County Sheriffs, and the 69 Bravo helistop. L.A. COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT DISCUSSES REALITIES “We no longer live within a nature fire regime; we live in a man-made fire regime,� said L.A. County Fire Chief Andrew Smith. “The 2018 Woolsey Fire was the last significant fire that had the potential to hit Topanga. The Palisades fire in May was 1,200 acres that impacted Topanga Canyon and launched evacuation orders for Zones 4 and 6.� Chief Smith said that Southern California has about 4-5 Red Flag Days per year when the relative humidity is under 10 and the Santa Ana winds beginning, usually during the holidays from October to December. “Red Flag conditions don’t sneak up on us,� he said. “We know about them, we watch the news and weather; they are predictable. What the public needs to do is have the information and be pro-active by preparing ahead of an emergency. Have a plan in place and practice it with your family.� Chief Smith said it takes about 10-15 minutes for a fire front to go over your property and the 1,500-degree temps travel at about 30 feet per second. “Fire is not a contact sport,� he said. “Understand the vulnerability, prepare your property and home, have a plan, practice it, and consider early evacuation as a life-saving component. Professionals can help you but not if they’re overwhelmed fighting a wildfire. It’s better to evacuate five hours too soon than five seconds too late.� The Los Angeles County Fire Department has implemented a program and guidebook, “Ready! Set! Go!� for people to prepare for a disaster. Download “Ready! Set! Go!� online at https://fire.lacounty.gov. For hard copies, contact the Public Information Office for L.A. County Fire at (323) 881-2411. “Now is the time to have your evacuation gear and supplies ready,� said retired Sheriff’s Deputy Mark Winn. He knows the drill when it comes to emergency preparedness and the possibility of mandatory evacuation during a wildfire. “Get your equipment ready and packed in the car. “The sooner you evacuate, the less traffic you’ll have to contend with or, worse, get trapped in. You don’t need an order to leave but be prepared,� he said. “In the event of a large-scale event, first responders may be overwhelmed and you could be on your own.� WHERE TO VOLUNTEER Some of your best friends in an emergency are your neighbors who volunteer for these emergency organizations. Get to know them. • The Topanga Coalition for Emergency Preparedness (TCEP) is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization based in Topanga. For more than 23 years, TCEP has provided emergency preparedness education and real-time disaster status updates to residents of Topanga, Malibu, and surrounding areas on their website (t-cep.org). Longtime TCEP member James Grasso outlined plans for emergencies including fire, flood and earthquakes. Get to know them. • Make a Plan. Know your threats, establish meeting places, have an out-of-state contact. • Large Animals need a plan and you need to practice it with the animal(s). Remember animal food and medications. • Have a “GO Bag� ready for each member of the family at all times. Gather and maintain important papers, equipment, and supplies for at least 7-10 days. • Pack Personal Necessities. Flashlights, first aid, eyeglasses, credit cards,