Poll: Is Sonoma prepared for the next wildfire?

Readers weigh in on our readiness for what some are calling the ‘new normal'|

Resigned. That’s how readers seemed in their responses to our most recent online poll question about whether the North Bay would be better prepared for the next big fire.

Nearly 43 percent of respondents were cautiously optimistic that we’ll be “marginally better prepared” to mitigate the damage of the “new normal” of occasional wildfires. That was followed closely by the 40 percent who felt that the community still treats fire-prevention as a low priority. A mere 17 percent of readers said we’ve learned from last year’s fires and will be ready when the next blaze strikes.

Tellingly, only 48 people responded to the poll question – one of our lower totals in all the time we’ve been running the surveys – bringing us to the conclusion that, if nothing else, Sonomans may be suffering from a serious case of fire fatigue.

Jason Walsh

Here are a few of the more passionate responses:

California, unfortunately, is in the fire zone. It has suffered multiple fires and the climate and dead, dry grass and lack of water is a catalyst for these fires. It is sad, but I am glad we have more ideas and work together now to save more people’s lives and homes next time around.

Why does this town have such a big bo--r for the fires? Why would we want more? This is a bad poll question, in my opinion.

We need better emergency capabilities. We need many more roads for evacuation. We need a coordinated fire system. We need more fire prevention services.

Some preventative measures are being taken on by some homeowners. But as far as at the city and county level, lots of work needs to be done. One example is all the tall grasses that last year’s fire created, and all hydro seed (which was non-native) that was sprayed left grasses as tall as 5 feet. The county never came back and did any weed abatement on the weeds. There is currently hundreds of dead, standing trees and even more laying on the ground. Work has been done to better alert the community of a fire but, as far as preventing it, I see a lot of work ahead!

Problem was, with last year, nothing can prepare for a fire that comes at you with 50 mph winds. The fire goes where the wind takes it, no human can stop it.

Not much left to burn, how can we not be better prepared?

None of the above. Fires are not the new normal. Stop with the propaganda.

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