ORINDA, CALIFORNIA — A night at the Orinda Theatre this fall will tackle a question that’s been on lots of locals’ minds since tragic events in LA: What can our communities learn from the devastating Los Angeles wildfires before another disaster strikes?
Safe at Scale is coming to the theater on Thursday, October 29, 2026, pairing a screening of the PBS documentary Weathered: After the LA Firestorm with a panel of fire safety experts and elected officials.
The city’s event flyer lists doors opening at 6 p.m., the screening at 7 p.m. and the expert panel at 8:10 p.m. Tickets for the screening are advertised at $10.
Lessons From Los Angeles
The documentary follows host Maiya May as she returns to Los Angeles nearly a year after the January 2025 fires to examine the recovery and the questions survivors are still asking.
Why did systems fail? What could have changed the outcome? And what can communities do before the next fire?
According to PBS, the film explores both the losses survivors are living with and ways to make communities more resistant to wildfire. That gives the evening a practical focus: understanding what happened elsewhere and considering which lessons could help protect homes and neighborhoods here. Watch the trailer or learn more from PBS.
A Local Conversation
The announced panel includes Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, state Senator Tim Grayson, Moraga-Orinda Fire District Chief Jeff Isaacs, filmmaker Trip Jennings and Steve Hawks of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety.
The theater’s description says Hawks will discuss practical approaches to reducing wildfire damage to homes and neighborhoods. Isaacs will bring the local fire response perspective, while Jennings will discuss lessons from the Los Angeles fires.
For residents wondering where to put their time and attention, those connections matter. Preparing an individual home is one part of the conversation; understanding how an entire neighborhood prepares is another.
Mark Your Calendar
The event takes place at the Orinda Theatre on October 29. Plan around the 6 p.m. door opening if you want to arrive before the 7 p.m. film; the flyer schedules the panel for 8:10 p.m.
Residents can also start exploring local preparedness resources ahead of the event. The city’s Orinda Ready website brings together evacuation planning, emergency alert information and resources for preparing homes.
An evening at the theater can be a useful starting point for a conversation that continues at home — and with the neighbors.
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