Pre-Evacuation Preparation Steps

With fire season at its peak in Southern California please see Ready For Wildfire's steps in being prepared to evacuate when the time comes.

Home Evacuation Checklist – How to Prepare for Evacuation:

Inside the House

- Shut all windows and doors.

- 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

- 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.

For more information please visit readyforwildfire.org