Photo
Courtesy: Reuters
The destruction of vegetation
and property caused by the Thomas wildfire that hit the Santa Barbara and
Ventura counties in December has contributed to the occurrence of mudslides in
the Montecito region. The slides have left at least 20 dead, four missing, and
hundreds more homeless or seeking shelter. As rescue crews plow through mud,
boulders, and other debris, highway US 101 is currently closed to protect
against any further victims and to enable for effective searching. However, it
is unclear as to when on Monday the highway will open (if on that day). Due to
the degree of damage caused by the mudslides, the size of the mandatory
evacuation zone was increased on Thursday and will be in effect for one week
with a possible delay to two weeks.
Though the Thomas fire is now
100% contained, geologists and weather forecasters state that the magnitude of
damage to the charred land has rendered the area susceptible to mudslides and
may leave it in that state for years to come.
Questions
- The CNN
article proposes digging more basins to collect and delay the degree of
damage caused by storms. What other means can be used to decrease the
magnitude of destruction caused by such disasters?
- What kind of aid
do you think the government (whether local, state, or national) should
give to the victims?
- Aside from
federal aid, what other means of raising money for the victims do you
propose? What, mainly, should this money go towards?
Links
3 comments:
The main reason why there is a rise in mudslides in areas that have been greatly affected by wildfires is that most of the plants in the area are burned. Because of this, there are no large trees or root systems to keep the soil together. Usually, when it rains, the soil is mostly kept in place by plants, but now, the water sweeps away everything, from the soil to all of the burnt plant matter. I think in order to reduce the damage or the rise of more mudslides, cities affected by wildfires should focus more on re-planting trees and native wildlife to help keep the soil together. This will not only help prevent similar mudslides in the future, but it will have a multitude of other positive benefits. Restoring wildlife and native plants is something that all levels of government can support or aid in order to help these areas.
I think that the main focus of the monetary aid should go towards creating shelters for all the victims. I feel like there will be a lot of food and clothing donations, so I think that the aid money should primarily focus on creating shelters for the victims, as this is not something that can be donated. I think that the state and local government should finance the construction of these shelters.
I like the points that both Lydia and Emily made about where the aid should be spent. I also believe that money should go to help rebuild infrastructure, like roads and other public areas that have been damaged. Another thought is about insurance. I know that some insurance companies are refusing to ensure homes that are near wildfire prone areas in California. This case is concerning because people will not be able to collect money for their damaged homes. Is there a way that the government could help these people? I believe most insurance companies are private, so I do not believe many people would favor a public insurance system. Already, many are resistant to public healthcare, so I don't think a solution like this is likely, but just a thought.
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