When the skies are blue and the air is clean after a recent rainstorm, it’s hard to believe that a natural disaster could one day strike Whidbey Island.

Yet organizers of a few upcoming South End events are hoping to help the public better prepared for in case of a devastating emergency.

Tickets are selling fast for “Wildfire on Whidbey: Thinking about the Unthinkable,” an all-day conference focusing on the dangers of wildfires. Presented by Whidbey Climate Action, the event is set for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday, Aug. 24 at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts in Langley.

Field experts, government and community leaders – some of them from Whidbey – will share their knowledge on climate change, the likeliness of wildfires and how to prepare residents and homes for a fire emergency.

Nine presenters will cover a diverse range of topics, from the Status of Forest Health (Eric Shen of Anacortes Community Forest Lands Monitoring Program) to Lessons from Lahaina (permaculture specialist Jenny Pell) to Fighting Fires on Whidbey (South Whidbey Fire/EMS Chief Nick Walsh) to Fireworks – Recipe for Wildfire Disaster (Jackie Lasater of Safe and Humane Fireworks for Island County) to Indigenous Teachings on Wildfire Through Story (Pamela SeaMonster, vice chair of the Snohomish Tribe).

Doors open at 8:30 a.m., with the first presentation beginning at 9 a.m. Langley church soup kitchens will provide a light lunch from noon to 1 p.m. During that time, attendees can check out informational tables set up in the WICA lobby by emergency preparedness organizations, including the Red Cross and the Department of Natural Resources.

Towards the end of the educational day, all the speakers will join together for a moderated question-and-answer panel.

Rhonda Salerno, one of the moderators and an organizer for the conference, said the event is entirely volunteer-driven, including the presenters.

The wildfire conference offers an opportunity for Whidbey denizens to explore an increasingly relevant subject.

“The hardest thing about climate change is getting people to talk about it … our generation, people clam up,” Salerno said.

The event program includes helpful resources for attendees to refer to afterwards, including future emergency preparedness events and contact information for emergency agencies.

Organizers are hopeful that people might take an interest in developing a community wildfire protection plan. Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon and Langley Police Chief Tavier Wasser are expected to be in attendance.

Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased in advance on the WICA website, wicaonline.org.

For those curious about preparing for other natural disasters that could impact Whidbey, the Island County Department of Emergency Management plans to host a five-part series in partnership with the Sno-Isle Libraries.

No registration is required for the free events, which run Sept. 4 to Oct. 16.

“They’re all going to be different, they’re all going to be talking about a different topic and it’s definitely worthwhile to attend them all,” Eric Brooks, the director for the department, said.

Brooks will kick off the first event, which features an in-depth discussion to enhance community resilience.

“Preparedness is one of those things that everyone’s responsibility and if we work together, we can keep our community safe, help us get through these hazards,” he said.

He will also lead the last event, which explores volunteer opportunities for community members who want to get more involved. Learn about volunteer emergency response programs like CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), MYN (Map Your Neighborhood) and ICACS (Island County Auxiliary Communication Service) emergency radio operators.

Experts will speak at the other three events about specific hazards.

Terry Swanson, University of Washington geologist and professor, will discuss landslide risks at the Sept. 11 talk.

Brian Sherrod with the United States Geological Survey will share the latest research on past earthquakes in the region and Puget Sound fault zones to be aware of during the Sept. 18 event.

Alex Dolcimascolo of the state Department of Natural Resources will talk about tsunami hazards Island County residents may encounter during his presentation on Oct. 2.

All events run 5:30-7 p.m. at Clinton Community Hall.

“It’s only a disaster if you’re not ready for it,” Brooks said of emergency preparedness.

For more information, visit the “Events” section of the Sno-Isle Libraries website, sno-isle.org, and filter results through the Clinton Library.