Chico looks vulnerable wto a massive fire Disasters leave some more vulnerable than others

Chico looks vulnerable to a sudden fire. Bidwell Park and the Lindo Channel have a lot of fuel built up. From Monkey Face most of Chico looks like a forest. There is a buildup of flammable trees and brush in the City’s residential neighborhoods that remindsme of the Oakland firestorm and several

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Hurricane Katrina devastated a multitude of communities in the New Orleans area. I am writing to bring attention to the social and physical vulnerability of different socioeconomic classes involved in this natural disaster.

As a Sociology major at CSU Chico, I have a unique understanding on this topic because I have a background in studying natural disasters and their impacts over the course of my four years as an undergraduate student. Through research and the help of my professors, I have learned that natural disasters are not so natural after all. Following Hurricane Katrina, research teams have made discoveries recognizing the role that social and physical vulnerabilities play in the chance of survival during and after a natural disaster. However, there is still much work to be done to protect those who are most vulnerable and ensure there is not a repeat of what happened in New Orleans.

Our community and government must be willing to reach out and create safe spaces for those who are impacted the greatest, placing preventative measures to keep communities safe in times of disaster. I believe that this begins with spreading word to the public on the importance of this topic.

— Kayleigh Inman, Chico