June through October is fire season in California, especially in Northern California. Most NDB students live on the Peninsula, which may not experience fires the way places like Napa County does, but the fires in Napa can still affect us and are something we should all be aware of.

Napa has experienced several severe fires in the past few years. In 2017, the Atlas fire burned almost 50,000 acres. In 2020, the Glass fire affected over 1,500 homes and buildings and 60,000 acres. And this year, the Pickett fire burned 7,000 acres and forced people to evacuate.

Fires can cause significant damage and affect people’s lives. Individuals can lose their homes and businesses, leaving people without shelter or livelihood. They also affect the climate. Fires release ash and carbon dioxide into the air, which affects the air quality and our water supplies. These effects can travel with wind. A few years ago, the fires in Napa were so bad that even people on the Peninsula could smell smoke and see ash on their cars. For people with health conditions, like asthma, this can make it harder for them to breathe.

While this is devastating, fires also bring communities together. In Napa, in addition to the firefighters, members of the community contribute by donating their time, money, food and shelter to people who need it. Napa resident Jon McCann said “I see signs showing support for firefighters, thanking them, and people will put events together, donating food.”

The good news is that firefighters are really successful at containing fires. But the threat of fires isn’t going away. No matter where you live, it’s important to be safe when starting fires in your homes or grilling outdoors. And if a fire does happen, it is important to have a plan for how to escape. We should be grateful for our first responders who bravely protect us and our homes from fires, and if you can, try to give back by supporting a community that has experienced a fire and may need donations.