Last year’s wildfires in California were among the worst in that state’s history, destroying over 1.6 million acres. In the so-called Camp Fire of November 2018, eighty-five people lost their lives, and the town of Paradise was burned to the ground, destroying thousands of homes. Recently, officials from both the US Forest Service and the Interior Department issued statements warning that the upcoming wildfire season is likely to be worse than last year.
Wildfires are becoming more frequent, more widespread, and more destructive as temperatures are driven higher and dry conditions are spreading farther than ever before due to the effects of climate change. This year has already seen wildfires spread across most of the western states, as well as in parts of Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia. These wildfires are not only more powerful and dangerous than ever before—they are harder to control and contain, meaning more people are at threat of experiencing the devastating effects of these out of control infernos than ever before. Surviving a wildfire has become a skill that anyone concerned with preparedness would do well to learn.
Surviving a wildfire is not trivial. As with most things, preparedness begins at home. Everyone should have working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers for basic warning and protection against smaller fires—and if you live in a high-risk area, you will want to make sure you’re using the best smoke detectors you can get, as the advance warning they can give you could mean the difference between life and death. Note that no commercially available fire extinguishers are sufficient to combat a wildfire, but they may aid you in clearing a path from your house to your car, or in helping to evacuate your home if the fire has already struck where you live. Of course, like any other tool, fire extinguishers are only useful if you know how to use them—for this reason, it’s important to have regular drills and to develop and communicate a fire plan so that everyone in your group knows what to do in the event of a fire.
If an evacuation is ordered for your area, leave immediately. Waiting to leave means the fire has time to move closer, and outbound traffic will be heavier. Beat the rush by being ready to go as soon as the evacuation order is issued. However, in some instances, the authorities won’t necessarily have time to issue evacuation orders for new fires, rapidly moving fires, or in areas where multiple wildfires are currently active. In those instances, it’s important to know when you should evacuate on your own.
Even if no official order has been issues, you should evacuate immediately if you see fire in a home adjacent to yours, if there are strong winds present carrying smoke, ash, or lit embers in the vicinity, or if there is visible fire in any undeveloped area near your home—especially if the fire is downwind of your location.
If there is time, prepare your home to give it the best chance of withstanding a nearby fire. Tightly shut all windows and doors, remove any flammable window shades, lightweight curtains, or other window treatments susceptible to fire. If you have metal shutters, especially in attic spaces, be sure they are closed tightly. Move any flammable furniture away from windows, be sure your air conditioning system is off, and leave plenty of lights on so firefighters are able to spot your house in smoky conditions.
If you are instructed to evacuate or decide it is time to evacuate on your own, leave the endangered vicinity immediately. Again, evacuating the area early will help to keep roads relatively clear of congestion, and will also allow emergency vehicles and firefighters more rapid access to areas where they are needed. Bear in mind that you may encounter roads that are heavily congested or blocked by fire. In this case, it pays to have alternate routes listed ahead of time. If alternate routes aren’t an option or are unreachable, you may need to proceed on foot. Do not just sit in your car and wait for traffic to clear—wildfires move fast, and every moment wasted is a moment closer to danger.
In the event that you must leave your vehicle, try to park it off-road in an area that won’t block other traffic and proceed to evacuate on foot. Even if you have to park on lawns, sidewalks, or in other areas where parking is not normally permitted, do so: it is of critical importance that the roadways are kept clear for responding emergency vehicles.
If you find yourself in a position where you have to walk or hike out of an area threatened by wildfire, it’s important to be prepared. You will need to be able to cover up to protect yourself against heat and flying sparks or embers. Wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, heavy shoes or boots, a hat or cap, and a dry bandana, handkerchief, or other scrap cloth to cover your nose and mouth to guard against smoke inhalation. If you have goggles, wear them.
Preparation makes all the difference, so be sure to carefully consider all of the above and plan several evacuation routes. Once you reach safety, monitor public safety broadcasts and wait until the all-clear is given before returning home.
To your survival,
Richard Marshall
