Fires strike areas surrounding Samo

Sparking the night of Sunday, Oct. 27 and spreading throughout the early morning and afternoon of Monday, Oct. 28, wildfires raged throughout Los Angeles, about eight miles from Samo. School was canceled across the SMMUSD district, prompting a mandatory day off for students and staff. The disaster also prompted the evacuation of many people from their homes within the evacuation areas, including many Samo students and families.  The Getty Fire, caused by a branch hitting a powerline and igniting the dry brush west of the 405 Freeway, burned hundreds of acres in Kenter and Mandeville Canyons. The Getty Fire burned closest to Samo, but it wasn’t the only one. Other fires sparked around Southern California, only contributing to the poor air quality.  On Oct. 28, the air quality in Santa Monica contained an unhealthy amount of particulates, exceeding the Air Quality Index (AQI) standards of safety. In accordance with district guidelines, dictating that if the AQI is in the red or worse (151-300) school must be canceled, all schools within the district were closed. “If air quality level matches what the school believes is okay, with caution, we have school,” Principal Antonio Shelton said. Poor air quality can aggravate the condition of “sensitive” groups, meaning people with heart disease, lung disease, asthma or other respiratory issues. For those not categorized as “sensitive,” the smoke can affect respiration and irritate the eyes, nose, lungs and throat. Usually, days canceled due to unexpected circumstances must be made-up at the end of the school year, given that public schools have a required amount of days a year they must be in session. However, in this case, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide state of emergency, allowing any schools affected by the fires to cancel classes without tacking days onto the end of the year. That being said, in a situation like these fires, the districts first priority is to keep students and staff safe and healthy. Another concern contributing to the school cancelation was the major road closures not permissing many students and staff to commute to school on time, if at all. The logistics of a school day off require careful deliberation, but the most recent closures were crucial to allow the Samo community to recover and recuperate from the natural disaster.