Sign at the Redwood Valley Grange.
A sign and bottled water at the Redwood Valley Grange during the Redwood Complex Fire in Redwood Valley, Calif. in October 2017. (Kate B. Maxwell/Bay City News)

MENDOCINO Co., 9/8/20 — For four years The Mendocino Voice has provided breaking news on wildfires, power shutoffs, floods, and other emergency situations. We’ve published information on wildfire prevention and compiled resources for people who endure both the immediate hazards of wildfires, natural disasters, or the ensuing economic and mental duress. 

As these events become more frequent, we have put together a general information guide to help you navigate and prepare for emergencies. We’ve also included past articles and resources which are still relevant and useful, and have been aggregated and organized here. 

We recommend bookmarking this page as these are useful resources during many different kinds of emergencies, and there are the links to official sources. Comment or contact info@mendovoice.com if there are any resources we’ve missed so we can include them here.

Click the link to go directly to the specific section

General current information resources during emergencies

Safety Precautions and Emergency Preparedness

Here are a set of resources to consider in preparation for wildfire season, followed by more general emergency preparedness resources. 

Local agencies within Mendocino County: Many local jurisdictions and fire departments post updates on their social media pages

Defensible space and home hardening

Maintaining Defensible space around your home (and doing some overdue yardwork) is an important step in being prepared for wildfires. Sometimes, fires can burn homes without burning much of the vegetation around the home. Here are links to resources that explain how houses burn and how to harden them against wildfires. 

Weather and Air Quality

Wildfires usually also mean smoky skies and poor air quality in the region. Smoke in the air can make it difficult to breath and cause other respiratory issues. 

In previous wildfire seasons, local health departments have recommended using N-95 masks to protect yourself and family against the smoke. During COVID, these masks will understandably be harder to come by, but Mendocino Public Health has previously warned that N-95 masks only reduce contact with some harmful particulate matter and that they don’t keep smoke out and are not “terribly effective as a general protective measure.” It is much better to avoid smokey air in general if possible. 

Power outages and shut-offs

PG&E is likely to enact planned power shutoffs this fall, which they call “Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS),” so here are some links to resources about how to prepare for power outages and what to do during one. 

Wildfire recovery

If you return home after a fire, here are a few resources that outline precautions and other steps to take.

Coping with stress, emotional trauma and crisis

Natural disasters and emergencies, including the pandemic, can take a toll on mental health. Here’s a list of resources for both mental health emergencies, and for ongoing mental health support, especially focused on recovering after a disaster.

What has helped you? 

Are there any resources that have helped you get through fire season that you don’t see in this article? It is still being updated, so please send an email to info@mendovoice.com and we’ll update it as soon as possible.

Sarah Stierch covers breaking news and more for The Mendocino Voice. Reach her at sarah@mendovoice.com.

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2 Comments

  1. Thank you guys! This list of resources and emergency info. is amazing! Very comprehensive! So glad I found Mendo Voice! I will promptly give a contribution.

    Reply
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