During the recent Canyon 2 Fire, traffic hindered East Orange residents’ efforts to evacuate. Many encountered roadblocks and were forced to turn around as authorities tried to manage the thousands trying to flee. Parents were prevented from reaching their children at schools. Heavy smoke made it difficult to see and breathe.
Several homes were destroyed and animals were separated from their owners in Orange Park Acres (OPA). Many residents were not home at the time. With no time to spare, neighbors loaded other people’s horses onto trailers headed to various evacuation sites – only to sit in long lines of cars. It was several days later that owners knew the fate of their beloved animals.
The communities of Serrano Heights and Mabury Ranch have only one escape route – Serrano Avenue. Because traffic backed up on Santiago Canyon Road and Cannon Street, residents were stuck in their cars for more than an hour trying to flee. This is exactly how the residents of Paradise perished in their cars! Residents of this densely populated Northern California community were in a long line of cars trying to escape the recent Camp Fire, one of California’s deadliest, when flames engulfed them. At least seven were burned to death in their vehicles.
Paradise residents were unable to escape because the Paradise City Council had cut off access to other avenues, leaving them only one escape route. This is exactly the same situation on Serrano Avenue. In the Canyon 2 Fire a wall of cars on Santiago Canyon Road caused traffic to back up onto Cannon which is the only west escape route from Serrano. As a result, residents of Mabury Ranch and Serrano Heights were trapped in their cars, helplessly watching as the fire grew closer.
Don’t let this happen here. Save our neighborhoods!
