While the recent California wildfires fall far south of CWU, students and alumni have found themselves affected. Most of the outbreaks have been contained, but the aftermath and the fires that are still burning pose active challenges.
Segment/Field Producer at Entertainment Tonight and CWU Alum Simone Corbett shared her recent experiences living in the Los Angeles area. “I live in Santa Monica so I did evacuate out of caution as our home was right on the line of the warning zone and I could literally see the Palisades fire from my apartment,” Corbett said. “LA felt like a ghost town that entire week as the city was instructed to stay off the roads.”
Corbett stated that the streets were so bare it felt like COVID all over again. She spoke about donating clothes and volunteering to dispense them to those in need. Corbett shared her appreciation for the journalists risking their lives to ensure those in need are informed on updates. “I admire them and our selfless first responders so much,” Corbett said.
Current CWU student Blake Cloud, a law and justice major, has family located in Fresno. Due to the wind blowing the fires in the opposite direction, his family has been unaffected. However, past fires have affected him and his family. “I have asthma and get frequent nosebleeds so the worse air quality would always take a toll on myself … and making it difficult for everyone to operate outside,” Cloud said.
His experience with taking care of those in need has always been animals, ensuring their safety outside when the air quality gets bad. His family has been unaffected this time around but he shares that “It has made it difficult for my family to visit in the past.”
One of the Observers Co-editor-in-chiefs, Brandon Mattesich, a film and media journalism major, shared his experiences with California fires. His family lost their house and possessions to the Thomas fire in 2017, so his mother is experiencing PTSD from the recent fires in California. “Just through past trauma and past experience, a lot of people I know are pretty freaked out right now,” Mattesich said. He shared that he hopes those in need are getting help, and that when his family experienced losing their home, he was deeply thankful for the support they were given. On the topic of how CWU is helping students, he spoke on the email sent out to those in need supplying support and services.
“Wildfires in California have been prevalent for as long as California has been prevalent, but what’s really happening nowadays is their frequency and intensity is increasing, especially with this one making national and international headlines,” Mattesich said. He believes that climate change is a strong possibility causing the increase in fires.
The California fires have been a devastating natural disaster for families and businesses. The aftermath of disasters like these is a long and expensive process for all involved. With the days getting longer and the heat rising again, the risk of wildfires has been on the rise.
Help is available to CWU students in need of mental health support surrounding wildfires and their effects. In an email regarding the wildfires, CWU provided resources for students needing additional help, “Should you need emotional support, CWU’s Student Counseling Services is available to speak with you and provide therapeutic support. They can be reached at 509-963-1391, or you can stop by Black Hall 225 to schedule an appointment.”
