Wildfire Evacuation Preparation For your home, your family and pets

This document is not intended to be all inclusive as each homeowner will have their own specific needs.  The considerations have been formulated from experience and several sources.  Please take time to consider how and if each bulleted item might apply to you and your family. The most important thing is to have be prepared and have a plan!

Please visit readynapacounty.org to identify your evacuation zone.
​
Keep the Exterior of Your Home Safe All the Time:
  • Never stack wood or other flammables next to your home, remember the 30-foot rule.
  • Avoid lattice fencing and wood fencing, wooden fencing should not be attached to your home.
  • Remove woodchips, bark or flammable mulch at the base of your home.
  • Trim trees up from the ground ten to 12 feet and avoid plants/shrubs at the base of the trees.
  • Shrubs in the 0 to 5 feet zone should not exceed 18 inches high.  Avoid shrubs adjacent to windows.
  • Make sure that all house vents are screened and preferably with 1/8-inch metal wire mesh.
  • Raised decks are problematic – mitigate risk by closing in the base with 1/8-inch wire screen and rock.  Make sure there is not any debris, leaves or dead plants under your deck.
  • Tree limbs should be at least 10 feet from the roofline and chimney.
  • Shrubs should be trimmed away from the home’s foundation.
  • Clean gutters on a routine basis and especially after high winds.
  • Make sure house numbers are clearly visible from the street. Remember some of the responders will be not familiar with our area.
 
In the event of a potential fire threat (Red Flag Warning):
  • Always park your vehicles facing the street.
  • Always have at a minimum ½ tank of gas or fully charged (gas pumps may not be operational/power outage).
  • Keep your phones charged – consider supplemental charging devices.
  • Always be able to open your garage without power – if not park, outside facing the street.
  • Remove all cushions, pillows, doormats and umbrellas from the exterior of your home.
  • If you have a wooden gate at the side of your home, prop it open with a heavy object.
  • Remove all flammable decorations such as flags, banners, wreaths, etc.
  • Move items off your deck that could catch an ember.
  • Check under your deck and around the corners of your home for debris.
  • Connect hoses to all outside spigots with nozzles attached for firefighters.
  • Have a ladder available at the side of the house for firefighters to quickly access your roof.
  • Establish a sprinkler timing that will keep the parameter of your home wet, but do not run sprinklers continuously as this will decrease the water volume for firefighting.
  • If you have a raised deck configure a sprinkler to periodically keep the deck wet or at minimum wet the deck with a hose at the notice of a red flag warning.
  • Move all propane tanks from grills and heaters away from the home (30 feet) or into the garage.
  • Move all gasoline driven equipment away from your home or into the garage such as lawn mowers.
  • Check gutter for debris and corner collection sites for leaves etc.
  • Ensure that if you have a generator, that it is in working order.
  • Move flammable items 30 feet from your home.  Grass should be cut to four inches or less.  Tree limbs should be at least 10 feet off the ground and from your roof line/chimney.
 
When an Evacuation Order is Eminent:
  • Turn off heating and air-conditioning, block vents that draw outside air into the home.
  • Secure all windows and doors – tape if not airtight.
  • Inside move flammables away from the windows (radiant heat can cause a fire)
  • Unplug electronics
  • Turn off icemaker and drain ice cube dispenser.
  • Manage your refrigerated food by decreasing the volume, obtaining alarms for when to use your portable generator, or obtain a standby 5-7-day portable cooler.
  • Leave exterior front and back lights on and set your alarm.
  • If you evacuate, place the “evacuated” sign on your door.  This will save the responders time in identifying who they need to look for.
 
Preparation for Evacuation for You and Your Pets:
  • Develop a personalized list of items essential to take if you must evacuate and tasks to be completed with assignments of responsibility for each task.  What you take will be dependent on the extent of the emergency. 

             Below is a list of items to consider for your personalized list.
  1.  Items to take may be spare glasses, medications, medical equipment, hearing aids and chargers, phone chargers, laptop if portable with charger/wires, external hard drive, flashlight and extra batteries
  2. Basic sturdy comfortable clothes (check your dirty clothes and place selected items in a pillowcase as these may be your favorites), jackets, extra shoes, blankets, linens, and pillows
  3. Sanitation supplies such as hand sanitizer, wipes, toilet paper and garbage bags
  4. Extra set of home and car keys
  5. Whistle to signal for help
  6. Spare masks and work gloves
  7. Checkbooks, passwords, address books, tax information, health records, jewelry, photos and important papers that you may store in a portable safe such as passports, titles, marriage certificates, medical records including an allergy list, etc.
  8. Cash (if the power is out ATMs may not be operational) and credit cards
  9. Sturdy clothing, shoes, medications, etc. for your children and favorite toy, games and entertainment.
  10. Pet supplies – leashes, food/treats, medications, favorite toy, bowls, kitty litter/poo bags, carrier/bed/blanket, pet vaccination record, etc.
  11. Create a list of radio stations, social networks, websites, public safety alerts and place in your car(s) and at home (1440AM and 99.3FM the local station The Vine)
  12. Utensils and cups
  13. Water – one gallon per person per day
  14. Food – dried or canned preferably without heating necessary (can opener)
  15. A map with exit routes out of the valley (cell phones may not work)

  • Develop a plan of where you will go (a meeting location) and communicate your plans with neighbors and family.

  • Have a process for the quick assembly of the items.  It does not hurt to have a five-day supply of necessary items in a “to-go-bag” at all times (update every 6 months to refresh or prior to fire season).  At a minimum, create a personal list for reference and added speed in assembling your bag.  

  • Monitor the fire situation. Leave if you do not feel safe!  

  • If evacuation is ordered, check on your neighbors and make sure they are preparing to leave too. Wake up others by sounding your horn on departure.  

  • If you will be evacuating overnight, please do not leave valuables in your vehicle.  Take them to a safe house or keep them with you.
 
Please consider having a To-Go-Bag always ready with the basic essentials such as spare glasses, medications and copies of important documents.  Some items may always be kept in your car such as a flashlight, maps, contact information, a phone charger, Emergency radio, garbage bags, whistle, first aid kit, blanket(s) etc.  
 
Plan – Prepare – Practice
 LINKS
PG&E.com/Safety
readyforwildfires.org
FIRESafeMARIN.com
Firewise.org
Ready.gov 
Proudly powered by Weebly