When Wildfires Threaten

By Ryan Pallas
9th grader, Tesoro High School
Trabuco Canyon in Orange County, CA

In California, wildfires are considered to be a threatening natural disaster. Because of high temperatures, little rain, high winds and dry brush, forest fires are common during the summer on the West Coast.

This spring and summer, there were hundreds of fires that destroyed entire neighborhoods and many forests in Northern California. Fireman have been working constantly to minimize the damage caused by fires and to eventually extinguish them completely.

This task takes a long time and requires careful strategy. However, firefighters are beginning to be optimistic.

Early in July, California wildfire spokesperson Kim Sone said, "For the first time, we've really turned the corner."

Ms. Sone is a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention. However, she said wildfires continue to be violent and destructive forces all across California.

By the end of July, firefighters had extinguished all but a few fires. And, they were in remote mountain areas.

Several years ago, that violent and destructive force came very close to our home.

But, it was an even a closer call for the Roecker family that lives further up the hill from our subdivision. The 2002 wildfire in our area came right into their backyard before the fire was brought under control.

The wildfire burned all around their house, which was on the edge of their subdivision. They were forced to evacuate. In the end, there was no structural damage but a big mess.

Trees and plants practically melted and hillsides became black. Amazingly, not one house burned down as a result from that fire.

Ms. Roecker said, "We are so lucky."

At the last minute, the wind changed and the fire went in a different direction, burning around their house and subdivision. The flames didn't go past the edge of their backyard.

There are no snow days in Southern California because of the warm climate all-year-round. Our school never has been cancelled because of a natural occurrence until only this past year.

Multiple fires caused horrible air quality and school was cancelled for two days because of air hazards.

"We tried not to go outside," says Adam Roecker. "All my sports were cancelled."

Eager students crowded malls and went to the movies.

However, some people had mixed emotions. On one hand, they were happy that school was out but also nervous because of previous close calls.

Wildfires pose a constant threat to Californians and brave firefighters are always prepared during summer months for any fire- no matter the size. Every region of the country has its natural disasters. For us, it's wildfires.

Although firemen try to prevent fires from occurring, they are still often present on the West Coast.

On May 13th, 2002, the Roeckers were forced to evacuate their home because it was in the path of a massive wildfire. They are a family of five with three children.

A scarlet inferno towered over their house.

"As I was leaving the house," recalls mother Jennifer Roecker, "I could hear the helicopter dropping water next to my house. A group of firefighters used our neighbor's garage as their headquarters."

She said the firefighters' goal is to save as much as possible. But, Ms. Roecker said, "They were going to let my house burn down to save the neighborhood, I was in shock."

The family got the order to evacuate…fast…and go to a safe location.

Ryan, now an 11-year-old going to be starting 6th grade this fall, said, "I couldn't even save my Gameboy."

Imagine knowing that firemen were going to let your house burn, and you couldn't do anything about it. Waiting from the evacuation spot and seeing the billows of smoke loom over you is all you can do.

Ryan added, "I would see big, black billows of smoke, and I thought- well, there goes my house."

Adam Roecker, who is going in to 4th grade this fall, remembers evacuating. "We could see the smoke from where we were."

For the Roeckers, all eventually ended well. The fire was contained and all were allowed to return to their singed, but unburned, homes.

When they returned, soot and ash covered everything. They had to hire professional workers to come and clean everything. Ryan remembers, "It was everywhere. There was at least two inches of it on the floor."

But, when this year's stories and pictures of wildfires started, they and others in our southern California homes remember that it could be us again some year.