The games I chose to save from the fire

On January 8, in the middle of a pair of urban firestorms that would become the worst the city had ever seen, the Los Angeles Times posted a slideshow on Instagram titled, “A fire is forcing you to evacuate. What should you pack?” It provided a comprehensive checklist for what to place into your “go-bag,” which is typically a large duffel that you can carry on your back if you are stranded without transportation in a worst-case scenario. It should include food and water, medication, a first aid kit, a whistle, a week’s worth of clothing, and other sundries–imagine if you had to sleep rough for a few days with an hour’s notice. This is the bag that would help make that easier. On the third slide, at the very bottom, the last thing they recommended packing was “comfort items and things to pass the time, such as…board games.” 

I moved to Los Angeles in September, and my first serious fire emergency was last week. I was about five miles from the Eaton Fire, and while I was never in immediate danger and have continued to remain safe, there were a few days when the fire was spreading rapidly, the sky was orange, and I woke up to the smell of smoke in my house. As my roommates went south to alleviate their chronic conditions, I stayed behind, looking after the house and reticent to evacuate before it was necessary in order to keep the streets clear and avoid upsetting my dog more than necessary. That first day, I packed my bug out bag, stacked a couple boxes of “irreplaceables” (important documents, sentimental items, my favorite records, and fifty or so polaroid photographs) and then considered the LA Times’ suggestion–games. I guessed that this would take a little bit longer for me than others.