What’s So Funny: Helping prevent wildfires

Lagunans are fire-conscious, especially those of us who were here for the big one in 1993. We sniff the air and check the skyline, anticipating those fall days when the fire season meets the windy week.

Doing my bit to prepare this time around, I’ve been outside, snipping, weed-whacking, sawing, hacking, raking and uprooting.

It seems overly optimistic to think my yard work will make a difference if a fire comes over the hill someday. Trying to stop a Santa Ana wind-propelled blaze by pulling up some dead iceplant is like trying to stop a runaway truck by doing a card trick.

But in fire season we should do our best to cut down on flammables. And we should keep an eye on the TV for the latest fire news — which brings up a peeve.

In an era of digital wonders, when we can watch four ballgames at once, why can’t our news stations stick an area map on a corner of the screen on a fire-story day and keep it there with little burning icons on it so viewers who have just tuned in will know where the fires are?

When there are two to six simultaneous blazes going in the Southland, it doesn’t edify me to see extensive video of a smoky hillside or suburban neighborhood and hear that a fire is now raging in the Rancho Nintendo area. I don’t know where that is. I’m from the Midwest.

In October of ’93, when fire swept down Laguna Canyon and we had to evacuate, Patti Jo, Katie, the animals and I went to Patti Jo’s sister’s house in Brea. There, the local news showed a map with little flames on it to indicate where, in and around Laguna, the fires were. It wasn’t pleasant viewing, but it was must-see for those of us trying to find out if we had a home to go back to.

On fire days, the primary interest of the people of Southern California is the precise location of the flames.

On such days, stations should show fire maps perpetually instead of periodically, so we can track the fire’s movement and decide whether to start packing the photos.

Over Labor Day weekend I walked our dog Booker near Top of the World Elementary and we saw some Laguna goats on the hillside, chomping away. It was encouraging to know they were out doing their bit, too.

Inspired, we went home and back to the yard work. What I don’t pull up, Booker moistens.

SHERWOOD KIRALY is a Laguna Beach resident. He has written four novels, three of which were critically acclaimed. His novel, “Diminished Capacity,” is now available in bookstores, and the film version is available on DVD.