Evacuating from a Wildland Fire

Getting Yourself and Your Family Out

Evacuating from a wildland fire is a whole new ballgame compared to evacuating from an urban home fire. You don’t know what you’ll come back to; you don’t know in advance where the fire is coming from, you don’t know how long you’ll be gone. The only advantage is you will usually have some time before you have to leave.

You can break evacuation down to three phases: First, you realize there’s a wildland fire in your area; next an evacuation warning goes out and finally, you’re required to evacuate.

First Phase: There’s a Fire Nearby

Veterans of wildland fires realize this first phase can be a dire situation or a “let’s wait and see” situation. Here’s a “let’s wait and see” scenario: There’s a wildland fire within a few miles of your home. Judging from the direction it’s moving, it will not block your exit. The temperature is normal, no significant winds and it’s an isolated incident. In some areas, that means there are no major fires in the state or county requiring an allocation of men and equipment. Fire crews are at work on your fire, equipment is in place. You have little doubt, based on past experience, that the fire will be controlled without an evacuation order.

The dire situation scenario goes like this: Your state or county is on high fire alert due to low humidity, high winds and temperatures. A fire starts within miles of your home. You know resources are stretched thin. It may not matter if the fire is being pushed by winds toward or away from your home. In high fire alert situations, the winds can change in a flash. If this is your phase one, here are a few recommendations:

• You already have your emergency kit, important papers, pet carriers on hand. Place a call to family members not at home to explain what’s going on.
• Corral pets. Bring them indoors, put them in their kennels or a fenced yard. The idea here is to know where they are if the situation escalates. If you have horses or other livestock, we’ve got a page especially for you.
• Put on protective clothing: sturdy shoes, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Stick a handkerchief in your pocket.
• Close windows, vents, doors, blinds or non-combustible window coverings and heavy drapes. Remove lightweight curtains.
• Move flammable furniture away from windows and sliding glass doors.
• Put combustible patio furniture inside.
• Connect the garden hose to outside taps.
• If you’re on well water, make sure the auxiliary generator is primed and ready to start. If you have a swimming pool or reservoir, place an emergency pump nearby.
• Wet down shrubs near your home.
• If possible, set up lawn sprinklers on the roof and near above-ground fuel tanks. There are exceptions to water use by homeowners during a fire emergency. Some communities simply do not have the water pressure for hydrants and heavy water use by blocks of homes. You should know what the fire department expects beforehand.
• Cover attic openings, eave vents and sub-floor vents with fire resistant material such as 1/2-inch or thicker plywood.
• Fill trash cans and buckets with water and locate them where fire fighters can find them.

Second Phase: Prepare to Evacuate

You really have to use your judgment here. Some phase two items may have to be incorporated into phase one. This whole “phase” system is not official fire department protocol. You may go from “there’s a fire up the road” to bullhorns telling you to get out now. If this is your first summer in a high risk fire area, check with your closest neighbor. Another rule of thumb: it’s easier to backtrack and undo unnecessary steps than it is to have to do everything in five minutes.

• Update family members by phone, contact your evacuation destination point or quickly determine where the nearest evacuation center is. If your children are in area schools, you may want to contact the school to find out what arrangements will be made. Is the school evacuating? How can you locate and pick-up your children if you have to evacuate your home?
• Park your car in the garage facing out with the keys in the ignition. If you have no garage, point the car down the driveway. From the direction of the fire, determine your exit route.
• Pull out your emergency kit and important papers. Put your cats in carriers. You know your dogs: if leash time is playtime, leash them now while you have the time.
• Shut off all utilities.
• Open the fireplace damper, close fireplace screens.
• If you’re alone and have multiple boxes and bags to get in the car, start loading up.
• To help fire fighters protect your home, place a ladder against the house on the side opposite the approaching fire.
• Close all doors inside the house.
• Depending on the situation, you may want to evacuate before you are required to do so.

Third Phase: Evacuate

• Finish packing the car, load your pets and family members and leave.
• If you are trapped by fire while evacuating, park in an area clear of vegetation, close the windows and vents, cover yourself with a blanket or jacket and lie on the floor.
• If you have either chosen to stay in your home, or have to because all evacuation routes are shut off, stay inside away from outside walls. Close all doors but leave them unlocked. Keep your family together and stay calm. Don’t stay for heroics. Your presence can endanger the lives of fire fighters unnecessarily.
• Once the danger is over, check the roof, inside the attic and any wood piles, trees and fencing for embers or small fires. Keep your windows and doors closed and continue rechecking your home and yard for the next 12 hours.

Tagged as: Evacuating Yourself and Your Family