Quick fire update

 

Pacific Palisades

We're working on the review of 2024, but we hope you understand it's been a bit challenging these past couple of days. My school notified faculty in the middle of their classes on Tuesday night to send students home, we were closed yesterday (we reopened today), mostly due to the high winds. We nonetheless have had many events postponed, rescheduled, or cancelled.

My wife's childhood home in Altadena is gone, the family sold the house years ago but they still have their memories. We may go take a look sometime this weekend if we're not in the way of firefighters.

We join many who are thinking of those of you and your families, who lost their homes or have had to evacuate.

As of this writing, the fires had not yet reached the tower farm located on Mt. Wilson, but it's getting uncomfortably close. Both local radio and TV stations, as well as emergency communications originate from that peak.

In addition to the fantastic first responders, local media has done a very admirable job covering the disaster. KNX has been wall-to-wall with their coverage, featuring their small army of reporters who are doing overtime from the multiple fire zones. The same is true of KFI, though they've less resources to work with than in the past, they're still keeping their listeners fully informed. A different resource is available on LAist 89.3 (KPCC), where Larry Mantle has been interviewing disaster / climate / local government authorities to provide perspective on the fires and what's happening moving forward.

Again, we're getting the year in review and some updates ready. Until then, I share what I offered on social media (I'm on Instagram at its_ayoda). The background is I've had the privilege to be part of volunteer recovery efforts in Japan, starting with the Great Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011 and continuing (mostly) annually, although we were on hiatus until last year due to the pandemic.

Palette Center, near Fukushima, Japan, 2011

First off, we are fine. Lousy air and winds, but that's not a big deal at all. The Palisades fire is visible from my house, but we're many miles from the fire line. My school, Azusa Pacific University, sent students home in the middle of their classes last night, classes are cancelled today primarily as a precaution due to the high winds. Thank you to those who have checked in.

I'm hearing about the hundreds of people evacuated to the Pasadena Convention Center. It was a reminder of when we were in Koriyama, in 2011 near the damaged Fukushima nuclear reactor in Japan. Thousands of people were taking shelter at the Palette Center, an arena set up for temporary housing, living within cardboard partitions. I recall many were there with very little, since they had to leave almost immediately from their homes because of the threat of radiation from the reactor. 

While I felt overwhelmed, I observed the families were trying to maintain some sense of normalcy, creating activities for their kids, engaging in conversations with other families, sharing meals and company.

I've nothing profound to offer here, other than I learned that whatever our efforts, the most important encouragement we could offer the evacuees was to just be there with them. I'm hoping those of us who can to reach out to those who are affected by the fires. Respect those who wish to be left alone, but engage with those who need to be reminded they're not alone. Continued prayers for both the victims and the responders who are providing a superlative effort.

Again, the year in review coming up. Please stay tuned, more importantly, please stay safe.

ayodaradio@gmail.com