Wildfires can destroy entire neighborhoods in just hours, leaving people and animals in shock and danger. Since meteorologists cannot yet predict when wildfires will happen, anyone living in fire-prone areas should plan and be ready to evacuate quickly.
Here are some practical tips to help you protect yourself and your loved ones in case of a wildfire.
Why Do Wildfires Occur?
There are three main reasons why wildfires happen:
- Lightning: When a storm happens, the electricity from lightning can hit trees or dry plants, causing sparks that can start a fire. This is especially common in places with tall trees or dry grass.
- Human Actions: Sometimes, people accidentally start wildfires without meaning to. For example, a fire can spread if someone leaves a campfire on when they go. Throwing a cigarette in dry grass or setting off fireworks when it’s dry can also start a wildfire. That’s why you should always be careful when outside.
- Hot and Dry Weather: In places where it’s hot and dry, plants lose water and become super dry. Thus, they easily catch fire. If it hasn’t rained for a while, these dry plants can spark a fire, which can spread quickly.
By understanding these reasons, you can talk to your family about how important it is to be careful and help prevent wildfires from happening. It’s all about being responsible with fire and respecting nature.
How to Prepare for a Wildfire
Know Your Wildfire Risk
It’s important to know your wildfire risk to stay safe. If you live near forests, in rural areas, or somewhere with hot and dry weather, you might be at a higher risk of wildfires. To learn more, you can contact your local fire department or other emergency groups to get information on fire laws and risks in your area. This will help you stay more prepared.
Create a Wildfire Preparedness Plan
Having a wildfire safety plan can help you escape in case there’s a fire breakout. Here’s how to get started:
Sign up for Alerts
It’s important to be informed about weather events, especially if you live in a place at risk of wildfire. Many cell phone service providers have an alert system that sends warnings about safety threats in your local area. Turn this feature on to ensure you get real-time alerts.
Here’s how to enable them:
- For iPhones: Go to Settings → Notifications. Scroll down to Government Alerts and toggle on the alerts you want to receive.
- For Android Phones: Go to Settings → Safety and Emergency → Wireless Alerts and turn them on.
Make an Escape Plan
It’s important to have a clear evacuation plan in case of a wildfire. Here are some things to think about when making your plan:
- A safe place to stay: You should plan on where to stay for a few days if you need to leave your home. However, if you don’t have a place, find out the location of the nearest emergency shelter.
- Mode of Transportation: If you don’t have a car or can’t drive, ask your friends, family, or neighbors if they can help you with transportation.
- Do You Have Loved Ones Who Need Extra Help? If anyone in your family has health problems or needs special help during an emergency, talk to a doctor about an emergency medical plan.
- Learn Local Emergency Protocols: You should familiarize yourself with emergency services in your area, including local fire departments, community centers, and faith-based organizations.
- Keep Important Items Safe: You will want to make digital copies of important documents and store them on your phone or computer. So, if you live in a fire-prone area, consider getting a safety deposit box at your local bank to keep the originals and other valuable items safe. You can also buy a fireproof and waterproof safe for your home, but remember that extreme heat can still damage things inside.
Prepare Your Home
If you have plenty of time before a fire reaches your home, then you should do the following:
Inside the House
- Close all windows and doors, but leave them unlocked.
- Remove flammable items like curtains and shades, and close metal shutters if you have them.
- Clear away light curtains and store them safely.
- Move flammable items to the center of rooms, away from windows and doors.
- Turn off the gas at the meter and pilot lights.
- Leave some lights on so firefighters can see your house through the smoke.
- Turn off the air conditioning.
Outside the House
- Bring in all flammable items from outside. If you can’t bring them in, put them in your pool.
- Turn off your propane tanks.
- Move grills and propane BBQ equipment away from the house.
- Leave your garden hoses outside while attached to taps so firefighters can use them. Fill buckets with water and place them around the yard.
- Keep outdoor lights on so your home can easily be seen when it’s smoky or dark.
- Place your emergency kit in your car.
- Park your vehicle in the driveway, facing the road, with all the doors and windows shut. Make sure you’re packed and ready to go.
What Should You Do If Fire Reaches You in the Car?
Being in a car during a wildfire is dangerous but safer than being outside. Here’s what to do:
- If your car is damaged and you can’t drive it anymore, stay inside the car. Don’t try to outrun the fire.
- Park behind something solid, like a building or wall, to block the heat.
- If nothing solid is nearby, park in an open area without grass, trees, or anything that can burn.
- Keep the car running and roll up all the windows.
- Close the air vents and set the AC to recirculate air.
- Turn on your hazard lights and regular lights so emergency workers can see you.
- Get down low on the floor of the car.
- Cover yourself with a wool blanket if you have one.
- Wet a cloth and hold it over your face to help you breathe easier.
Keep Yourself and Your Loved Ones Safe
Wildfires can be very dangerous, but you can always keep yourself and your home safe by staying prepared and quickly acting when the fire spreads. Remember, wildfire smoke can be harmful to your health. So, besides protecting yourself from the fire, you also need to protect yourself from the smoke.
