A LAFD firefighter carries dry hoselines up the street and past a burning house in the Santiago Estates area of Sylmar during the Creek fire on Dec. 5, 2017. (Photo by Mike Meadows)
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez is hosting a community town hall in Sylmar on Thursday related to December’s Creek fire.
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez is hosting a community town hall in Sylmar on Thursday related to December’s Creek fire.
Los Angeles city and county officials will be on hand to discuss recovery efforts and preparations for future emergencies in the aftermath of the blaze, which scorched more than 15,600 acres and destroyed 60 homes in the Sylmar area.
“There’s a lot of information post-fire that is very valuable to residents; even in the aftermath of the fire,” Rodriguez said Wednesday.
While initially, federal officials did not declare the Creek fire a federal emergency, that changed after the January’s Thomas fire mudslides in Santa Barbara County, among other things, Rodriguez said. But some people affected by the Creek fire are not yet aware that FEMA assistance is available to them.
In addition, city officials recently concluded an assessment of the topography of the soil to determine where some of the most vulnerable hillsides are for potential mudslides.
“We’re not out of the woods yet and making sure residents know what can potentially be ahead is very, very important,” Rodriguez said.
At the town hall, members of local equestrian communities will also have the chance to learn about additional efforts to help ensure smoother equine and large animal evacuations going forward, she added. While a number of improvements were made in evacuating animals after the La Tuna fire in September, dozens of horses — some of whom were locked in — still died in the Creek fire.
Area agencies will be on hand at the town hall to provide emergency resources to residents. There will also be an opportunity for residents to ask questions.
The town hall will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m at Sylmar High’s Spartan Hall at 13050 Borden Ave.
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez represents the 7th Council District in the Northeast San Fernando Valley which include the neighborhoods of Sylmar, Mission Hills, Pacoima, Lake View Terrace, Sunland, Tujunga, North Hills, Shadow Hills, and La Tuna Canyon.