Opinion: If you’re told to evacuate, get out. Wildfires can kill in many different ways

To the editor: We have all heard the definition of insanity is repeating the same mistake and expecting a different result. This is California regarding wildfires. (“‘Go! Go! Go!’: Deputy’s body camera captures frantic evacuation,” Oct. 13)

Instead of “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires” and other such stale messaging, how about, “Evacuate: Your Life Depends on it”?

Many people do not understand what a wildfire does. They don’t know that they may not be able to see the escape road through smoke, or that the road may become impassable due to fallen trees or power lines. People don’t realize air becomes super-heated and scorches airways and lungs. People expect to be saved by firefighters, but resources may not be available.

Wildfire-area residents have been taxed the last few years. What have they paid for but increasingly devastating property loss and lives lost that could have been saved if the state had enough intelligence to educate the public about what it means to be in a wildfire?

Evacuate. People who know will go. Stop the insanity.

Jill Bernal, Hemet

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