SIERRA MADRE, Calif. — Wildfires have ravaged parts of Southern California for two weeks now and weary firefighters are slowly bringing the largest—Eaton Fire (89% contained) and Palisades Fire (63% contained)—under control.
While the fires have destroyed more than 15,000 structures and killed 27 people, it will take time to fully assess their impact on homes and businesses, including self-service laundries.
Sharon Sager, who owns and operates the Sierra Madre Laundry, says she’s grateful that her business and home are OK, calling the experience “surreal.”
“The winds on Jan. 7 were some of the worst I’ve ever seen in this area,” says Sager, a member of the American Coin-Op Advisory Board. “The power to my laundromat went out in the morning and by the afternoon, my manager and I decided to close the store. The fires started west of my business and home; I live just 1 mile south of the mat. Very quickly, the fires moved east toward Sierra Madre.
“The street my laundromat is on was the southern border for the mandatory evacuation area [from the Eaton fire]. Fortunately, my store was on the south side of the street and the evacuations happened north of me. The smoke smell was very strong.”
Having grown up in the area, Sager says she’s accustomed to seeing fires in the mountains. “What was so disturbingly different this time is that the fires were down in the cities.”
Her laundromat’s power was restored by Jan. 9.
“Many homes in the surrounding neighborhoods that were not directly touched by the fires continue to be without power and gas,” she says. “Much of the infrastructure of these utilities were damaged and thus it will be some time before they are restored for many people. These issues, along with people being displaced, has created great demand at my laundromat.”
People needing to get the smoke smell out of clothing and linens, plus the emergency responders who are staying in local hotels, are also utilizing the laundry’s services.
Sager says her “amazing” staff has been working extra hours. Helping customers, many of whom aren’t familiar with self-service laundry equipment and how it’s used; arranging to provide warm meals, snacks and water; and providing free soap and other products are just some of the ways they are lending a hand.
“It’s really hard to wrap one’s head around the idea that some folks are coming to us with nothing left,” she says. “This has been emotional for my team. It’s hard to hear some of the stories, but it also feels good to be able to offer our time and services.”
The CLA has been reaching out to members and friends of the association but haven’t yet come across anyone who’s been directly impacted, according to President/CEO Brian Wallace. There is a CLA Connect Live event scheduled for Thursday in Burbank.
“We hope that this event will serve as an opportunity to come together and assess the needs of both the laundromat community and the customers they serve,” Wallace says. “We’ve had some of our LaundryCares partners approach us regarding free book distribution in and around the affected areas.”
The State of California has created a webpage—ca.gov/Lafires—containing help and information for people affected by the wildfires. There are links and information about applying for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and state and local agencies.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Bruce Beggs at [email protected].