SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) – Because of the unpredictable nature of wildfires, evacuation orders may come without a warning. Fire officials are stressing the importance of being prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice.
“I want your viewers to understand the importance of being prepared to leave. I want them to be proactive, not reactive,” Cal Fire Public Information Officer Joshua Rubinstein said.
Napa County Sheriff’s Office tweeted out a video showing the severity of the wildfires and how quickly they can spread.
To give your home the best possible chance at surviving a wildfire, follow these steps from Cal Fire:
Preparing for an evacuation:
Inside the house:
- Have your Emergency Supply Kit/Evacuation Bag ready to go
- Ensure a Wildfire Action Plan is prepared ahead of time
- Make sure you know your community’s emergency response plan and have a plan on where to go when it is time to evacuate, and best routes for leaving your location.
- Shut all windows and doors, leaving them unlocked.
- Remove flammable window shades, curtains and close metal shutters.
- Remove lightweight curtains.
- Move flammable furniture to the center of the room, away from windows and doors.
- Shut off gas at the meter; turn off pilot lights.
- Leave your lights on so firefighters can see your house under smoky conditions.
- Shut off the air conditioning.
Outside the house:
- Gather up flammable items from the exterior of the house and bring them inside (patio furniture, children’s toys, door mats, trash cans, etc.) or place them in your pool.
- Turn off propane tanks.
- Move propane BBQ appliances away from structures.
- Connect garden hoses to outside water valves or spigots for use by firefighters. Fill water buckets and place them around the house.
- Don’t leave sprinklers on or water running, they can affect critical water pressure.
- Leave exterior lights on so your home is visible to firefighters in the smoke or darkness of night.
- Put your Emergency Supply Kit in your vehicle.
- Back your car into the driveway with vehicle loaded and all doors and windows closed. Carry your car keys with you.
- Have a ladder available and place it at the corner of the house for firefighters to quickly access your roof.
- Seal attic and ground vents with pre-cut plywood or commercial seals.
- Patrol your property and monitor the fire situation. Don’t wait for an evacuation order if you feel threatened.
- Check on neighbors and make sure they are preparing to leave.
Animals:
- Locate your pets and keep them nearby.
- Prepare farm animals for transport and think about moving them to a safe location early.
Latest Stories: