What do you take when you have to evacuate?

January 18, 2025 by
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The fires in LA county have been devastating, with thousands of homes burning down, including entire neighborhoods and a huge swath of a whole city. Tens of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate, leaving nearly everything behind and hoping for a miracle. One of those people is food writer and editor Kat Thompson, who shared why she didn’t take anything from her kitchen when she evacuated.

Those of us with collections of kitchen items like enameled cast iron pans, antique tools, signed or vintage cookbooks, and other kitchen ephemera might think we would grab a few items on our way out the door because they are so dear to us. Thompson, who left in less than 30 minutes as the smoke thickened around her, did not even think about going into the kitchen to get anything. Instead, she threw a few pieces of clothing into a duffel bag, grabbed a few pieces of artwork, and essential items like passport and wallet. Her pink Le Creuset collection, signed cookbooks, prized KitchenAid mixer were left behind.

Thompson said she felt no regret about abandoning those cherished kitchen items. She realizes that the items she has collected are not irreplaceable no matter how dear they are to her, and this experience has encouraged her to resist the barrage of advertising that pushes us to buy more and more. In the end, says Thompson, “It’s not about the tools we use for cooking or the vessels that hold our dishes, but the recipes that we will always carry.”

Category: Antipasto

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6 Comments

  • Skamper  on  January 19, 2025

    As someone who lost a home in a wildfire years ago, I agree. Most things are just things and are replaceable.

  • rmpostonmfandt  on  January 19, 2025

    A friend was able to get out with their partner and pets. They lost their home and I cannot fathom what they’re going through. But I think my husband and cats are the only thing I would think about besides maybe keys, wallet and phone. But what the author said at the beginning was important; be prepared. Having copies of important documents, keeping a small emergency kit in your car, pet carriers assembled and easily grabbed, storing medicine in one place to pop in a bag. I’m just so glad the author was able to evacuate and is safe.

  • gamulholland  on  January 19, 2025

    We don’t live on a hill or near a canyon, but we do live in SoCal, and these terrible fires have reminded me that I need to scan all the family photo albums from my childhood and before. And that we need to discuss an evacuation plan, like what we would take and where we would go. I’ve been watching the online maps to see whether friends are safe or affected. 2025 is not off to a great start here, for many reasons.

  • demomcook  on  January 19, 2025

    We’ve had to pack for fire evacuation. Photos, negatives, a suitcase of clothing each, pets and pet needs, important documents. A little jewelry, medication, and money. We also ran around the house with our cell phones snapping photos of all the rooms, which took just a few minutes.

  • vickster  on  January 20, 2025

    I have been packed for a week, now ready for the next round of winds. I did not even think about kitchen items either. If my house ever burns losing all my cookbooks will really break my heart.

  • Rinshin  on  January 20, 2025

    My husband, pets, meds, and photo albums. That is all.

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