Woosley Fire Contamination Exasperates Nearby Communities with the Fires

Recently, the Woolsey Fire in southern California has burned almost 100,000 acres. Three people lost their lives, structures were burned, families’ sources of incomes destroyed. The aftermath of this catastrophe led to large releases of radiation, and toxins left in the air, adding stress to the health of not only the elderly, children, but also enhancing asthmatic problems. The fires that also occurred within Butte County has added to contamination within the soil of growing vegetation.

The fire that began “near” the Santa Susana Field Laboratory Site (SSFL) turned out to have begun because of the site itself. The radioactive contamination that was left behind has made SSFL “one of the most contaminated sites in the world” (Daniel Hirsch, 2018). Our government is denying the true capacity of the harm that these pollutants can cause to our well-being, and saying that leaves our communities at risk. The water from the soil site is trickling down towards other communities where the drinking water is also at stake of being undrinkable.

I truly believe that we should take initiative and petition the government to take action to help save our citizens from the infliction that this epidemic has on our salubrity.

I want to conclude this by thanking you for your time,

Megan Rodrigues