Summary

"Fire!" It stirs the blood in Topanga as does no other word. Evacuation is not far behind as a fightin' word. The Fire and Sheriff Departments would rather civilians just get out of their way as they deal with the emergency. But, old-timers in the Canyon advise the reverse: "You are better able to defend your own interests than any bureaucracy can," they say. There are web sites, some officially sponsored, that will tell you that you control the vulnerability of your house.

At least one professor with a respected reputation believes there are no conditions under which it would be safe for a homeowner to remain behind to protect his home. On the other hand, at least one well-respected local firefighting official said there are some conditions under which it would be unsafe to attempt to leave in the face of a wildfire.

A wildfire is dangerous even to people trained to deal with it, as is shown by the 133 firefighters who died fighting wildfires between 1990 and 1998, not to mention the many more who have been injured.