Contingency Planning

Lessons-Learned Cited Response to California Fires

November 1, 2007

In Southern California, as wildfires continue to burn, close to 1 million people have been evacuated while President Bush declared a state of emergency allowing for federal aid and resources to be sent to the state. Officials have said they have learned from Hurricane Katrina, the LA Times reports.

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino says, "There were lessons learned out of Katrina, and I think we are applying some of those, especially when it comes to early communication between our staff here at the federal level and then the governor's [Arnold Schwarzenegger] staff."

The Times has provided an interactive map showing the locations and status of the fires in Southern California.

"The 2005 hurricane devastated New Orleans, and the disjointed federal response was widely criticized. Now, federal agencies ranging from the Defense Department to the U.S. Forest Service have quickly mobilized. FEMA has been working closely in close coordination with state officials throughout the emergency. The military is making available aerial tankers and other heavy-duty firefighting gear, along with crews," the Times says.

— LA Times