I lost my home to the Altadena wildfires. These are the logistics I never even considered until my entire neighborhood disappeared.

Gale Sinatra and her residence after the fire in Altadena.

Courtesy of Gale Sinatra

• Gale Sinatra, a USC professor, lost her home in the Eaton fire in Altadena, California.
• She and her husband evacuated before the evacuation order after a neighbor warned them they should.
• In the days afterward, she struggled to acquire medications and direct mail from loved ones.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Gale Sinatra, Ph.D., a professor at USC Rossier School of Education...