Sacramento -- Assemblymember Pedro Nava (D-Santa Barbara), Chair, and Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego), Vice Chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Services and Homeland Security today announced the committee will hold public hearings on the recent fires that swept across Southern California.  The Joint Committee will hold hearings on December 12th in San Diego and 13th in Los Angeles at locations to be determined.  Members of the public are encouraged to attend and share their thoughts and concerns.   

The fires, driven by powerful Santa Ana winds, have scorched more than 518,000 acres and destroyed over 3,000 homes, businesses, and other structures in seven counties.  Nearly 12,000 first responders were deployed to combat the fierce blazes.   

“This is the second time in four years that the people of Southern California have been the victims of devastating fires,” stated Assemblymember Nava.  “Because it was one of the worst fire seasons on record, I am convening the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Services and Homeland Security with Senator Kehoe in San Diego and Los Angeles so we can begin to assess our preparedness, response and recovery efforts regarding these latest fires, determine whether we did better than we did in 2003, and figure out how we can do better in the future.”   

“These fires caused the state’s first major series of evacuations with more than half a million people in the San Diego region alone forced out of their homes as flames raced across hundreds of thousands of acres,” said Senator Kehoe.  “The public wants to know what worked in fighting these fires and where improvements need to be made.  These hearings will begin that process.”

The goal of the December hearings will be to gather information from state and local responders on a variety of issues, including fire preparation, management and coordination, evacuation and sheltering, reverse 911 and other emergency alert methods, and brush and vegetation management.