Public Warnings and Evacuations: California Station Fire

On August 26, 2009, a massive wildfire was ignited in Los Angeles County. Deemed the Station Fire, given the proximity of the ignition site to the Angeles Crest Fire Station, this fire eventually affected more than 160,000 acres, resulted in the deaths of 2 firefighters and 22 injuries, destroyed 200 buildings (including 89 homes), took more than 6 weeks to contain, and was the tenth largest fire in California since 1933. In an effort to examine the relationship between public warnings and evacuation dynamics during this event and, particularly, how residents received and responded to evacuation orders, a survey was administered to residents of the Station Fire-affected region. The focus of the survey was to understand the impact of public warnings on the behaviors and actions of individuals in the midst of this disaster.