Moss Landing fire

When batteries went into thermal runaway at the largest lithium-ion storage facility in the world and spewed who-knows-what into the atmosphere the reaction of authorities and Vistra seemed to be “oops!”

The next largest lithium-ion battery facility is in Australia, surrounded by acres of — nothing. Ours has the priceless Elkhorn Slough, a livelihood-producing harbor and vital farm fields full of unprotected workers. We need new technologies, but we need to get it right. Facility placement must consider the risk to lives, livelihoods and the environment. Require truly adequate safety measures and real-time monitoring of air, water and soil quality. Share information with the public.

We can’t change what’s happened, but big business and the state need to know that in Monterey County “oops” is not a satisfactory answer.

— Helen Shamble, East Garrison

Fire crisis

The devastating L.A. fires should be a shocking wake-up call to everyone who lives on the Monterey Peninsula. Fire season is now year-round and exponentially more dangerous. No place is safe. We can no longer rely on past fire behavior to predict how fires will burn in the future — except to say they will burn much hotter, spread much faster, and be much harder to control.

Many people have been calling our local fire prevention authorities with the concerns I’m outlining. This is a clear measure of community concern as well as a unique opportunity to mobilize our residents and firefighting and prevention entities.

In the past, it was difficult to get groups of homeowners to unanimously agree to fuel reduction measures; jurisdictional issues have prevented fuel reduction on state parks and other non-county, or city-owned land; and efforts to do controlled burns have met with resistance over concerns about smoke and possible containment failure.

Now is the time for us to mobilize. The Monterey Fire Department is undertaking a community initiative. All fire districts should follow suit. We must all come together to develop a plan of action.

We are in a crisis- let’s rise to it.

— Donna Manning and Allen Frances, Carmel

Fire prevention

On Jan. 7, we drove through Malibu to West Los Angeles. As we passed through the area, the Palisades Fire had erupted just 20 minutes earlier. The five days we spent in Los Angeles were deeply unsettling, as the devastating impact of the fires affected thousands of residents and the ongoing fire danger loomed heavily over the city. We are profoundly grateful to the incredibly brave firefighters and all those working tirelessly on the front lines. Their courage is truly extraordinary.

This experience highlighted the urgent need for all of us to prioritize safer practices to protect our loved ones, homes, businesses and communities. Hardening your home to help save it is critical. Engaging with programs like CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) to learn preparedness and response strategies is crucial. Additionally, technology such as WatchDuty.org and other fire-monitoring apps used in Los Angeles, along with excellent journalism, provide vital tools to keep residents informed.

However, I believe it’s time to go even further. We need to bring together the brightest minds — from Fleet Numerical Meteorology & Oceanography and the Naval Postgraduate School to Silicon Valley innovators, Lawrence Livermore Lab and beyond — to establish a Think Tank dedicated to developing advanced wildfire prevention and response strategies.

The current “boots on the ground” approach, while deeply heroic, is inherently risky and often too slow. We should be exploring the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of deploying water and fire retardants, and robots, even in high winds. Satellite technology advancements could also play a significant role in quickly identifying arsonists and pinpointing fire origins. For fires sparked by lightning, perhaps a defense system similar to the “Iron Dome” could be designed to shield California’s fire-prone hillsides. AI can also detect fires that are unseen.

The devastation caused by wildfires demands not only our attention but also our innovation and collaboration.

Together, we can create solutions to safeguard our communities and preserve the beautiful state we all deeply cherish.

— Wendy Brickman, Monterey