wildfire evacuation

Stay alert to when it's time to evacuate and when its safest to stay at home 

prepare in advance

• Establish a Wildfire Action Plan 
• ​Prepare your Emergency Supply Kit and Family Communications Plan in advance
• Sign up for Alert Monterey emergency notifications.
  
• ​Monitor local news sources to stay up to date on road closures in the area
• Get to know your neighbors! Coordinate to help each other stay safe in times during extreme heat and wildfires!
• Make a plan for your pets or other animals
• Add an address sign with numbers a minimum of 4 inches high, preferably with light reflective materials so first responders can identify your home in smoky conditions and at night.
  • You can include icons to communicate to fire authorities turn around points, water sources, or other information about the property

best is to evacuate early

During wildfires, best is to evacuate before the fire is so close it threatens your area, even if no evacuation order has been issued.  Once a fire is close smoke can obscure visibility so you cannot see where the fire is burning, and can obstruct your view when driving.  Rural roads are typically not designed for use by all residents at the same time, and if you wait too long, traffic congestion can back up to the point even multi-lane roads become essentially unusable, especially when fire agencies are using the same roads in the opposite direction to access the fire.  

Here is a newspaper story on traffic backups in Paradise during the Camp Fire, during which people died in their cars trying to evacuate.  Here is a news story on traffic backups slowing evacuation during the Woolsey Fire in Ventura County.  Here is a paper with stories about individuals who died during the California Fire Siege of 2003, and how some were found in or near their cars trying to escape.  Here is a video about a video made by a survivor of the Camp Fire, as a warning to anyone who considers delaying evacuating.

Having said that, it is possible for a wildfire to start unnoticed and move so fast there is not time for authorities to issue warnings or for you to receive them, and you may not have time to evacuate.  In that case you may have no choice but to stay and shelter-in-place.  A Federal Emergency Management Agency document, Planning Considerations:  Evacuation and Shelter-in-Place, acknowledges that reality, saying (bold added),

"Individuals and families must understand evacuation and shelter-in-place concepts and zones before a disaster strikes so they can make informed decisions and take protective actions.  Individuals and families should develop plans and ensure their readiness for both protective actions."

what to do before you leave:

inside the home

- Shut all shutters, windows, and doors but leave them unlocked
- Remove flammable curtains or shades
- Move flammable items and furniture away from windows and doors
- Shut off gas
​- Shut off air conditioning

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outside the home

- Remove flammable items from around the exterior of the house
- Remove flammable items from decks
- Turn off propane tanks and move away from the home
- Attach garden hoses to water valves for firefighters to use if necessary
​- Place a ladder near the home for firefighters to access the roof

RESOURCES

CAL FIRE Ready For Wildfire
Peace of Mind Preparedness- Resources and customized preparedness advice

resources for evacuating individuals with disabilities

Emergency Evacuation Planning for People with Disabilities (DARAC)
Evacuating Populations with Special Needs (US DOT)

make arrangements for pets and livestock

Wildland Fire Safety for Your Livestock and Pets (CAL FIRE)
Prepare Your Pets for Evacuation (CAL FIRE)
Prepare Your Pets for Disasters (Ready.gov)