Editorial: Fire season is here, too soon for Auburn

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When a wildfire whips through a neighborhood, it rarely leaves much behind. Chimneys and charred chunks of metal are often the only remnants of a family's life possessions.

Everything else? Ashes.

Owners of 63 homes and three businesses in Auburn are now coping with that kind of loss. The fire that ignited Sunday near Highway 49 in north Auburn was this region's most destructive in years.

Thankfully, no one died in the blaze, partly because of quick action by many. Placer County Sheriff's Deputy Ken Skogen pulled an elderly woman from a burning home. From all available reports, firefighters responded promptly, containing the blaze by Tuesday.

So it could have been worse.

But for victims, it may be hard to consider the bright side when they have lost so much. "People are in shock," a Red Cross volunteer said Tuesday. "We need to give them time to get through that."

To help victims, Placer County set up a one-stop assistance center at the DeWitt Government Center, 11517 F Ave. in Auburn. The Red Cross also set up an evacuation center to assist people who have lost their homes. If you'd like to volunteer or contribute to help fire victims through the Red Cross, go to the local chapter's Web site: www.sacsierraredcross.org.

The 49 fire should not be seen as an isolated tragedy. Residents of many other foothills communities face similar threats. Grasslands and woodlands, always in danger, are extremely dry this year. The slightest spark could mean disaster.

So if you visit or live in these fire zones, please be careful. Careless use of a lawn mower or machinery could ignite the next conflagration. So could an untended campfire or a cigarette tossed out a window on a windy day.

Fires are a natural part of California's ecology. Thus, they are inevitable. But the frequency of fires and the destruction they cause are not a given. That's something we can control.

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