Creating Your Custom Wildfire Action Plan – Part 4 in my Fire Hardening & Defensible Space Series

Being a Californian these days, means that we have to put up with potential natural disasters like earthquakes, and now wildfires. It’s just plain SMART to be prepared for them. In my Fire Hardening & Defensible Space for Homeowners series I will be covering the basics of what you should know when it comes to protecting your home, yourself, and your loved ones from wildfires. I will also cover what you need to be aware of if you live in a High or Very High Fire Severity Zone, and your responsibilities if you ever plan to sell.

Now that we’ve covered the basics when it comes to Fire Hardening & Defensible Space, today we’ll be talking about preparing yourself and your loved ones (including pets) in the event you need to evacuate for a wildfire.

Creating a Wildfire Action Plan is essential when you live in a High or Very High Fire Severity Zone. If you’ve ever experienced a wildfire or other severe natural disaster, sometimes you only have minutes to evacuate. Which is why it’s so important to plan now, so all that you have to do if disaster strikes, is grab your go-bag and execute your emergency plan.

What is Included in a Wildfire Action Plan

Much like an emergency plan, a Wildfire Action Plan includes an evacuation route out of your home, and to a safe location either on or off your property depending on where you live. You should also communicate this evacuation plan with your entire family and practice it often. Especially if you have young kids.

Readyforwildfire.org has some great information when it comes to being prepared for a wildfire and creating your own Wildfire Action Plan. In a nutshell, your Wildfire Action Plan should include:

1. An Evacuation Plan
2. An Emergency Supply Kit
3. The Six P’s

Creating an Evacuation Plan:

When creating an evacuation plan, it’s important to have a designated emergency meeting location outside the fire hazard zone. Not only is this to keep you and your loved ones safe. It is also important so that you know who has made it out safely, and who hasn’t.

Also be sure to create several different escape routes from your home and your community so that if one route is blocked, or inaccessible, you have other options.

Don’t forget to include your pets, including large animals like horses and livestock in your emergency plan. You DON’T want this to be an afterthought since moving horses and livestock isn’t a quick and easy task. Especially if they’re spooked!

Last but not least, make sure you have a Family Communication Plan that designates a person that is not located in the same area that could be impacted by the same natural disaster, such as an out-of-town friend or family member. That way if you and your loved ones get separated during an evacuation, you know who to contact to see if they have checked-in with them yet.

The last thing you want to be doing after an evacuation is to have to call everyone in the world you know that your loved one may have contacted in order to find them. Especially if there is limited or no phone, cell or internet connections available.

Once you have your emergency evacuation plan in place, it’s time to get your “go bag” ready!   

Putting Together Your Emergency Supply Kit

When putting your emergency supply kit together, also referred to as your “go bag,” make sure it includes the following:

• At least a 3-day supply of non-perishable food, and water. Expect to ration about 3 gallons of water per person
• Can opener (to open those cans of non-perishable food)
• Food & water for pets (if applicable)
• Change of clothes for each person, including a long sleeve cotton shirt and pants
• Durable shoes (preferably on your feet when you’re evacuating) and a change of socks
• Map with at least 2 evacuation routes clearly marked
• Prescriptions, vitamins, and over-the-counter medications (such as Tylenol)
• Extra eyeglasses or contacts with contact solution
• First-Aid Kit that includes the basics for minor cuts and burns
• Sanitation supplies (including t.p., feminine hygiene supplies if applicable & hand sanitizer)
• Battery-powered radio
• Flashlight
• Extra batteries
• Copies of important documents (passports, birth & marriage certificates, etc.)
• Extra set of car keys, phone charger, cash, credit cards & debit cards

If time allows, you can also include things like easily carried valuable items, family photos & other irreplaceable items, computer/laptop/tablet, and extra cell phone chargers, etc.

When living in fire country, it’s always a good idea to be prepared by having shoes and a flashlight close to your bed or a very accessible place in case an emergency evacuation happens at night.

The Six P’s

If you are in an emergency evacuation situation where you only have MINUTES to get out safely, just remember the Six P’s to get everything you NEED and get out of there!

1. People & Pets
2. Papers, phone numbers, and important documents
3. Prescriptions, vitamins, and eyeglasses (and other required medical equipment)
4. Pictures & irreplaceable memorabilia
5. Personal computer, hard drive, and disks (is that still a thing?)
6. Plastics (e.g., credit cards, debit cards) & cash.

Additional Steps to Be Prepared for a Wildfire

Power Outages: Power outages are a common occurrence in the event of a wildfire, so make sure to plan accordingly.

Make sure you know how to open your automatic garage door opener manually so that your vehicle isn’t trapped inside your garage when you have precious minutes to drive to safety.

I talk about this a lot as a savvy homeowner to know where your utility shut-off valves for your home are located, including your water, gas, and electricity. This is especially important to know to be prepared for an emergency.

I mentioned this above but be sure to have a pair of shoes and a flashlight near your bed or in an easily accessible location to grab and go in the event of an emergency during a power outage.

Also make sure your go-bag and other essentials are in an easily accessible location, keeping in mind that you may not have a light source when searching for this in the back of the shelves in your garage (if that’s where you keep it).

Make sure to keep at least ½ tank of gas in your vehicle at all times, especially for those of you in high country or anywhere that doesn’t have a lot of gas stations nearby. You DO NOT want to be caught in a situation where you need to get gas on top of getting you and your loved ones to safety. Plus, need I mention why you probably don’t want to be near a gas station during a wildfire?

Also make sure to always have your cell phone charged and have a supply of bottled water available.

If you have a backup generator, be sure you know how to use it properly and safely. Including where to connect it, which electrical cords to use, and the electrical load rating. An improperly installed generator can electrocute you or an electric utility worker and can also be a fire hazard!

If a power outage does occur: Especially if a wildfire is near, stay informed about what’s going on with your battery-operated radio (or cell phone if you have service).

Stay at least 10 ft away from any electrical facility and all overhead power lines. Always assume that they are live wires! Also try to keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to keep them cool inside as long as possible to avoid food spoilage. And be sure to turn off your gas, propane tank, or any other combustibles near your home!

Homeowners Insurance Preparedness: You may have been forced to address your homeowners insurance head-on if your policy has recently been cancelled due to the wildfire risk in CA. There is a lot going on behind the scenes here, so be sure to check out my article, What To Do About Homeowners Insurance in California for more information.

But in the meantime, make sure to do an annual checkup on what your insurance policy covers and make any updates as necessary. Don’t forget about any home improvements you might have made since you originally got your policy to make sure you have the proper coverage.

This is also a good time to get going on your home inventory like we talked about a while back in my article, Take Inventory of Your Home. This can be a life saver if you have to file an insurance claim and already have photos of everything that needs to be repaired or replaced.

Pro tip: Instead of having a home binder that includes your home’s inventory, opt for one of the many apps like Home Contents (for iOS) or HouseBook – Home Inventory (available on Google Play & iOS). That way it’s one less thing you need to grab during an evacuation. Plus it’s a lot easier to snap a photo and save them in an app instead of printing them out and storing them in a big, bulky binder.

Evacuation Plan for Pets, Horses, and Livestock:

Like we talked about in previous weeks, make sure you have created defensible space around your home and any out buildings on your property. This includes detached garages as well as around things like barns, pastures, etc.

Keep important records of your animals with your other important documents. Consider including things like recent immunizations, registration, and photos to confirm ownership and make sure you are able to be reunited with your pets.

Also keep in mind that many emergency evacuation shelters DON’T allow pets, so make sure to plan accordingly.

If you have horses or livestock, contact local fairgrounds, equestrian centers, etc. to see if they have space for them in case of an emergency evacuation.

Refer to ReadyforWildfire.org/animal-evacuation for additional detailed information that can assist you with including an evacuation plan for your animals.   

When Going on Vacation: Even though ‘fire season’ is practically year-round these days, the peak of fire season is usually also the prime time for homeowners to go on vacation, so make sure your action plan takes vacations into consideration.

Take precautionary measures to ensure your pets will be safe and well taken care of by a very close friend or family member should a wildfire break out while you’re away. Also consider storing your go bag and other essentials at your friend’s house until you return.

There you have it, a Wildfire Emergency Plan customized just for you! If you need assistance putting your emergency plan in place or have a home you’re interested in but not sure what the evacuation plan would look like, reach out and I would be happy to share some helpful tips and advice I’ve learned over the years of living in “fire country.”

Up next, I will be talking about the compliance aspect of Fire Hardening & Defensible Space. As I’ve mentioned before, being in compliance isn’t just the law. It can also keep you and your loved ones out of harm’s way in the event of a wildfire or other natural disaster.