It wasn’t just the perfect storm—it was the perfect fire storm.
The recent, all-consuming and catastrophic fires that stampeded through the Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas of Los Angeles in a three-week horror scene would have dwarfed even in the most exaggerated Hollywood disaster flick.
Hurricane-force winds cast giant embers so horizontally fast and so well in advance of the actual flames that it was virtually impossible to stop them, shared Newport Beach Battalion Chief Adam Novak at the February 6 Wake Up Newport presentation held at the City’s Civic Center.
Novak and a “strike team” comprising 22 firefighters and five engines rushed to the Palisades fire as part of a massive mutual assistance response that included Fountain Valley, Orange, Huntington Beach and Anaheim fire departments.
Novak emphasized, “We all worked together, demonstrating how collaborating and shared expertise can achieve incredible outcomes.”
In total, the two major fires – the Palisades and the Eaton blaze in Altadena killed 29 people and forced more than 37,000 people to evacuate. More than 18,000 structures were consumed or damaged. Total dollar losses have yet to be determined.
Compounding the difficulty in battling such expansive blazes, the reservoir serving Pacific Palisades (the obvious local water source for battling fires) had been drained ostensibly for repair. With hydrants dry, fire hoses lay limp on the ground as crews continued to battle with hand tools and gas-powered saws in unconventional ways, Novak said. Fortunately, water- and PhosChek-dropping aircraft continued their attacks from above.
At the standing-room-only audience at the February 6 presentation held, Novak debuted his personal videos and photos of what he described as “nothing like I’ve ever experienced in my 25 years of firefighting.”
“There were so many hazards,” Novak recalled: a falling tree nearly hit one of the firefighters; an underground vault exploded, rocketing its cement casement and lid skyward; embers that fell atop of one of Newport’s engines started a blaze. During one period, the assaulting embers were so thick, team members took refuge in the engine’s cab.
“It was a challenge to pick winners and losers (referring to homes) during the firefight,” Novak said, noting with pride that with some creative hose work linking three fire hydrants, his team managed to save multiple homes in a three-hour period.
In the course of the two weeks Newport Beach firefighters were there, “We saved some homes early, only to lose them later. But we learned a lot there,” Novak emphasized of their experiences, which they will share with their teammates.
Additionally, Novak praised as a “valuable resource” the Newport Beach Fire Department Foundation, led by Chairman Brian Bowis.
“During the Palisades fire, their supporters were instrumental in enhancing our operations, providing essential tools like Starling to improve communications and coordination in the field.”
“The chances that such an event will happen in Newport are minimal,” said Fire Marshal James Gillespie in a follow-up presentation. Although firefighting is not in his job description, Gillespie knows fires as well as any. One of his many management responsibilities is fire prevention through education to many different audiences within Newport Beach, from home inspections to HOAs to businesses. Short of personal interaction with Gillespie or any of his prevention team, abundant preparation education is available online at www.newportbeachca.gov.
Although Newport Beach is not immune from wildfires, Gillespie explained that the city enjoys “abundant water resources locally, and through County-shared sources, as well as early photo warning systems in the brushy areas.”
And importantly, a very well-trained, dedicated and fast-responsive fire department.
In case of a wildfire, perhaps the best life-saving tool of all is preparation, suggested Gillespie. It’s the best proactive decision anyone can make to help avoid panic, which Gillespie said can “slow reaction times, delay evacuation, compromise safety and even threaten lives.”
The fire department has prepared a downloadable, single sheet document appropriately titled “Before a Wildfire,” which succinctly outlines steps for preparation:
- Create a Wildfire Action Plan, which includes a family evacuation plan, family communications plan, pet disaster plan, children’s school disaster and evacuation plans and workplace disaster and evacuation plans.
- Create a Disaster Supply kit that includes supplies for at least 72 hours, plus smaller kits for car and workplace.
- Create a Separate Go Bag that includes prescription meds, copies of important documents and items of personal importance.
- Create a Pet Disaster Kit.
The Boy Scouts had it right: Be Prepared… especially for that Perfect Firestorm.
