Language barriers can create added challenges during Reno, Nevada-area wildfire evacuations

RENO, Nevada — As wildfires continue to pose a threat across Reno, Sparks and surrounding Washoe County communities, an expert who studies climate disasters says language barriers and longstanding inequities can make it more difficult for some Latino families to prepare for and respond to an emergency.

The threat is particularly relevant in Northern Nevada.

Washoe County's evacuation and shelter plan identifies wildfires as a significant regional hazard and says residential areas on the outskirts of Reno and Sparks are susceptible to wildland-urban interface fires.

Michael Méndez, an associate professor of urban planning and public policy at the University of California, Irvine , studies climate change, environmental justice and the effects of disasters on vulnerable populations.