The Number

The La Tuna Fire burned nearly 7,200 acres in the mountains above Sunland and Burbank during a hot spell in the first weekend of September. But Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott thinks the most important number behind the fire is 1,400. That’s the estimated number of homes within 200 feet of active flames – and only five of those homes were destroyed. “That really provides perspective on how many residents were at risk and what a great job local firefighters did saving those homes,” Scott told the Business Journal. At one point, more than 1,000 firefighters were engaged in containing the La Tuna blaze, which consumed 7,194 acres. The fire closed the 210 freeway for days. One lesson from the fire is that even in a city as populous and urban as Los Angeles, wildfires occur. Scott said the city of L.A. covers 470 square miles and about 19 percent is wild. “The terrain for this fire was rugged, remote and inaccessible in multiple places,” he said. “It hadn’t burned in 70-plus years.” Also, the La Tuna Fire presented a political challenge. The fire started in the city of Los Angeles but quickly spread to land managed by L.A. County, Burbank and Glendale. That required coordination with four fire departments and police departments for evacuations and traffic control. “We had to create a unified command for road closures, evacuations and to mobilize resources,” Scott said. “There were multiple cities that border the area and they all responded.” Finally, companies can learn that disasters happen unexpectedly and now is the time to prepare. “It’s important for business owners to consider the different threats to their operations,” Scott said. “They need an all-hazard plan.” Scott suggested the websites of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for guidance on business preparation. – Joel Russell