Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti declared a local emergency earlier Sunday and Gov. Jerry Brown did the same on the state level for Los Angeles County after the wildfire destroyed three homes and threatened hillside neighborhoods.
More than a thousand firefighters battled flames that chewed through more than 9 square miles (23 kilometers) of brush-covered mountains.
Fortunately, the diligent work of the Los Angeles Fire Department (and out-of-county emergency responders) has kept the damage at a relative low, and recovery efforts will hopefully follow suit soon.
Living with the threat of annual wildfires goes hand-in-hand with living in Southern California.
While the average Angelino may ensure basic fire-preparedness, the sad fact is that few take measures to maintain fireproofing (beyond looking up and noticing that "Yep, still got that smoke detector").
REQUIRED smoke detector locations:
- One on each floor in non-sleeping areas
- One in each room where sleeping occurs
- One in each hallway that leads directly to sleeping rooms
For better or worse, brush fires like La Tuna serve as a deadly reminder that humans often play a big part in the devastation - especially on the home front.
Some things people do to compromise their homes:
- Deactivate self-closing garages
- Allow vent blockage
- Utilize gas appliances less than 18" from the ground
- Improper storage of combustible materials (paint, gasoline, etc.)
The House Whisperer Dean Sharp joins Gary and Shannon to discuss the fire safety tips every homeowner must know. Listen right here!
Follow Dean on Twitter @homewithdean or at KFIAM640.iheart.com