Here’s how to leave quickly if wildfire comes
Creating defensible space, hardening your home, and prepping Go Bags are all important. But in the end, getting ready to be ready means being ready to roll when an evacuation order is issued.
When an evacuation is called, it’s time to put your wildfire action plan into effect and clear the way for firefighters to get to work.
When should you act?
When and how to act depends on what information you’re getting from Butte County evacuation authorities for your evacuation zone. There are two levels of evacuation emergency:
- Evacuation Warnings: During an evacuation warning you’ll be told your Zone might need to evacuate and be on high alert. Get everyone in your family together, have your Go Bags packed, ensure your animals are close by, your pet carriers and livestock trailers are ready, and you’re ready to leave on a moment’s notice.
- Evacuation Orders: When an evacuation order is issued for your Zone, leave your home immediately and get to safety. At this point, there’s no more time to get ready. It’s time to be ready and put your wildfire action plan into action.
Planning early for evacuation
Evacuating involves more than simply moving in the opposite direction of an oncoming fire. It’s a process requiring a series of preparations and in-the-moment actions allowing the evacuation to happen efficiently:
- Go to our Butte County Evacuation Plans by Community page.
- Download and print the Evacuation Plan and Evacuation Map for your community.
- Fill out the “Our household safety plan” section of the Evacuation Plan.
- Make sure every adult and child old enough to understand has a copy of the Evacuation Plan.
- Review the plan regularly as a family to be sure you all understand it in the same way.
Your plan leads to your evacuation route.
You may drive in and out of your community twelve times a day, but your normal route may not be the best option for evacuating during a fire. To prepare for an emergency event, you should be prepared to do things differently than your normal driving or transportation routines:
- Study and memorize the Butte County Evacuation Map for your community.
- Drive the evacuation route(s) on a regular basis so you’re familiar with it.
- Take the time to practice walking and biking the route as well, since conditions during an actual fire may render driving impossible.
- Don’t assume you’ll be able to rely on GPS for your evacuation routes—internet and cellular service may be unavailable during an emergency.
Evacuation: Traveling requires packing.
In addition to having your Evacuation Plan memorized, have a Go Bag of essentials prepared for each person and pet in your household. It may be a while before you can return to your home. Be sure there’s a copy of your Evacuation Plan and Evacuation Map in each Go Bag (yes, even in the pet bags—you never know which one you’ll grab in a hurry).
Important: Resist the urge to pack extra and unnecessary things when it’s time to evacuate. Make sure your Go Bags have been thoroughly packed only with necessities and important personal items, and forget about grabbing anything else.
Evacuation requires flexibility and cooperation.
Once on your Butte County evacuation route, be prepared for authorities monitoring the evacuation to adjust and coordinate the flow of traffic to compensate for congestion and/or changes to road conditions due to smoke, falling trees, etc. Follow their directions—even if they tell you to drive in a way that would get you a ticket under normal circumstances, such as driving on the shoulder.
Review and practice your wildfire evacuation plan on a regular basis, so there’s no confusion when it’s time to act. If you have young children, we strongly recommend watching this video about the importance of sticking to the family plan.
Stay safe, Butte County.