Thousands of Evacuees from the California Wildfires Find Shelter at Area Churches

The heat is so intense the water evaporates before it hits the ground. The flames move so quickly that firefighters cannot stay out in front of it. Embers swirl like snowflakes starting new fires as far as half a mile away.

First on the list of FEMA recommendations for responding to a wildfire is to evacuate.

A quarter of a million people have done just that-leaving homes and belongings behind. Tonight they are seeking shelter-a place to regroup and to face the realities of what tomorrow will bring.

Those people will need to find a bed for the night and churches, synagogues, mosques and temples are mobilizing their resources and their space to provide a safe shelter.

"You try to find the time to discuss and plan for emergencies," reports one lay leader, "but the real thing always seems to take you by surprise."

When the time to act arrives, the time to prepare is over.

What does preparation for a fire storm look like?

According to FEMA, when the time to respond to wildfire arrives, the following tips should be considered-

1. Turn on all the lights to increase chances that the house will be seen through the smoke.

2. Leave the doors unlocked so that firefighters can get easy access to your home.

3. If you are unable to evacuate, stay in your home. Many fires will burn past a structure before the structure itself is consumed.

4. Staying in a car with the engine off and the windows rolled up is also generally safer than trying to outrun a wildfire. Metal gas tanks rarely explode.

(See FEMA recommendations for wildfires and other natural disasters at http://www.fema.gov/hazard/types.shtm).

Many of the efforts tonight and in the days to come will be well-intentioned if not completely coordinated. The legacy of Katrina is that even in the world's sole remaining superpower, citizens cannot rely on a government response characterized by speed, flexibility, and competence. The best efforts will often be local efforts; the most pressing needs met by people who live nearby.