City of Irvine
2020 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
body differently. Generally, however, seniors, infants, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune defenses experience the greatest risk. Lower-income persons may also be more threatened than others by diseases since they may not be able to afford medical treatment. Persons with disabilities or those who live alone may experience greater vulnerability to illness since they may be unable to access treatment. Pregnant women in Irvine are especially threatened by the Zika virus since the virus may cause their infants to be born with microcephaly, which is shown to cause health problems for infants, including death. Tree Mortality Irvine residents who experience tree mortality on their property may be potentially threatened by decreased property values. Healthy trees add aesthetic beauty to homes and businesses, and dying, or dead trees may detract from the property’s worth. Higher -income property owners in Irvine may be able to absorb the costs of tree loss and afford to replant any lost trees. Lower-income property owners, on the other hand, are less likely to be able to afford the cost of replanting lost trees without assistance. Tree mortality also reduces the amount of shade in each area, potentially increasing the impacts of urban heat island effect. As a result, groups that are threatened by higher heat levels may be impacted by an onset of tree mortality. Such groups include seniors, children, families with pets, and laborers who spend long periods of time outside. Lower-income households who turn to active cooling methods, such as air conditioning, may be burdened by increased energy costs.
Other Threats
Agricultural Pests Agricultural pests may cause significant issues in conjunction with particular weather conditions. During excessive droughts, plants may be stressed, which can create favorable conditions for pests to thrive. In addition, excessively wet winters and springs could create conditions where plants growmolds and fungus that impact crop yields or require additional treatments by farmers. Epidemic/ Pandemic/ Vector-Borne Disease A major outbreak of disease could overwhelm the capacity of medical facilities in Irvine and in the surrounding area, potentially leading to greater inaccessibility of medical services and a shortage of medical personnel in the region. A major outbreak could also be expected to incapacitate large amounts of the City’s and region’s workforce, inhibiting the regional economy of Orange County and Southern California. Services such as telecommunications, utilities, recreation, and commerce may become restricted or even entirely unavailable for a period. Since March 2020, the City and the rest of the world has been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic incident that has impacted the state and many cities and counties. As a new unknown disease, it has been critically important during these past few months to effectively communicate the risk of infection and procedures to obtain medical help effectively. Tree Mortality Urban forestry has been demonstrated to increase mental health and reduce levels of depression and anxiety among residents. 125,126 If large sections of Irvine’s urban forest were to suddenly start dying, whether it be from drought or invasive pests, higher levels of stress and anxiety may result.
94
Made with FlippingBook HTML5