Survival guides · Disasters

Wildfire — Evacuate

ACT NOWAn evacuation order, or smoke and fire close enough to worry you. Leaving early is never wrong.

1. Go when told — or sooner

   • Evacuation order = leave now. Don't wait to see the flames.
   • No order but it feels wrong? Leave anyway.
   • Grab: go-bag, medications, documents, phone and charger, pets.

2. Minutes to spare? Ready the house

   • Close every window and door — leave them unlocked for firefighters.
   • Furniture away from windows, to the middle of rooms.
   • Gas off at the meter.
   • Outside lights on — firefighters can find the house in smoke.
   • A ladder against the house. Hoses hooked up.

3. Dress and drive

   • Long sleeves, long pants, closed shoes — cotton or wool, not synthetics.
   • N95 mask if you have one.
   • Headlights on, windows up, vents on recirculate.
   • Road blocked? Another route — or a big open area like a parking lot or plowed field.
   Why

   Synthetic fabric melts onto skin. Wildfire smoke is full of fine particles that an N95 stops and a cloth mask doesn't.

4. Trapped by fire

   • In the car: park away from trees and brush. Windows and vents closed. Lie on the floor under a wool blanket or coat. Stay in.
   • On foot: water, a cleared or burned-over patch, or a ditch. Lie face down, cover up, wet cloth over your mouth.
   • 911 if there's service. No signal at all? Dial 911 anyway — iPhone 14 and newer offer to text 911 by satellite. Clear view of the sky.
   Why

   The fire front passes faster than people expect — often minutes. A car shields you from the radiant heat that kills people caught in the open; it will get hot and smoky, but stay in.

Sources: CAL FIRE — Ready, Set, Go! · FEMA / Ready.gov Wildfire Safety

General information to help in an emergency — not a substitute for training or professional care.