Fire Evacuation: What Actually Happens? And How Can You Plan?

Having to evacuate your home due to threat of wildfire is a scary prospect — especially if you've never had to do it before.

Fires can move erratically, says Cal Fire spokesperson Heather Williams, and they can move into communities that would never have suspected themselves to be under threat of wildfires or evacuation. That's why it's important to know about the best procedure for safely leaving your home, and to be prepared ahead of time for the worst — even if the possibility seems unlikely.

We know our audiences have questions about how evacuation works, from when you should leave to what you should bring. Here are the answers to some common questions about evacuations in a wildfire.

Skip to:

• How will I know if I have to evacuate? 
• What do I bring with me?
• What should I wear?
• Where do I go once I've evacuated?
• How will evacuations centers work with COVID-19?
• What if this all happens at night?
• What if I or someone in my family has a medical or mobility issue?
• What if I don't have a car?

What's the difference between an evacuation warning and an evacuation order?

An evacuation warning comes before an evacuation order, and is a warning that you might need to evacuate soon.  The evacuation order is mandatory, i.e. "go time."

If your home is under an evacuation warning, that's the time to make sure you and your family know your emergency plan, and to prepare your emergency bag. If you or anyone in your family has medical or mobility issues, consider evacuating when you get the warning, and not waiting until a possible evacuation order.

Evacuation warnings should always be taken seriously, says Heather Williams of Cal Fire — because a mandatory evacuation order could follow "at any minute."

How will I know? Will there be sirens?

Cal Fire says that a “Hi-Lo” siren will be used to alert residents if it is time to leave, in the event of an evacuation order. If the area is remote, fire engines may also be sent to alert residents physically.

Do not wait for someone to come to your door and order you to leave. The information on whether or not you have to evacuate your home will come from your county, and it's really important to proactively stay up-to-date on the latest alerts:

Solano County Evacuation Information

• Solano County Sheriff's Twitter feed
• Solano County evacuation orders map
• For Solano County evacuation questions, call (707) 784-1634 or (707) 784-1635.

Napa County Evacuation Information

• Napa County evacuation map
• Napa County Twitter feed
• For the most up-to-date information, Napa County officials recommend residents reach out to the Cal Fire public information line at (707) 967-4207
• Sign up for Sonoma County Nixle alerts.

Sonoma County Evacuation Information

• Sonoma County evacuation updates
• Sonoma County evacuation map
• Sign up for Sonoma County Nixle alerts.

Santa Clara County Evacuation Information

• Santa Clara County evacuation updates
• Sonoma County evacuation map
• Hotline for Sonoma County residents under evacuation orders is (408) 808-7778
• Sign up for Santa Clara County Nixle alerts.

Alameda County Evacuation Information

• Alameda County evacuation updates at Cal Fire's incident site
• Alameda County emergency website
• Sign up for Alameda County Nixle alerts.

Contra Costa County Evacuation Information

• Contra Costa Community Warning System
• Sign up for Contra Costa County Nixle alerts.

Heather Williams of Cal Fire also recommends signing up for the state's emergency alert system at CalAlerts.org.

What do I bring with me if I'm evacuated?

Having a "go bag" all ready to evacuate — and keeping it somewhere you can access it instantly — is incredibly important right now. Read our can find a checklist of items to have in your emergency bag (or leer en español.) Don't wait until you're under an evacuation warning or order to make this kit.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it's also recommended you add the following to your emergency bag:

• Face masks or coverings (at least two per person)
• Sanitation supplies such as hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol, soap and disinfectant wipes

Remember: You may have to walk to safety, so pack your emergency supplies in something that’s durable and easy to carry, such as a backpack or duffle bag. For heavier items, such as food and water, using a tub or chest on wheels may make it easier to transport — but make sure it's still light enough to lift.

How should I prepare to get moving?

Make sure your family's plan takes into account the best route(s) for leaving your location. If one route was blocked, would you still be able to evacuate to safety?

If you're anticipating evacuation, Cal Fire recommends that you:

• Put your emergency bag and supplies in your car, if you have one.
• Once your vehicle is loaded, back it into the driveway with all doors and windows closed but carry your car keys with you.
• Patrol your property and keep an eye on the fire situation online. Don’t wait for a mandatory evacuation order if you feel you're in danger.
• If it's safe to do so, check on your neighbors and ensure they are planning to evacuate too.
• Make sure your pets are nearby and ready to leave.

If you have more time to prepare your home for evacuation, Cal Fire has more advice on how to give your property the best chance of surviving a wildfire.

In the case of being trapped in an evacuation emergency, you should call 911 and turn on lights to help rescuers find you.

What should I wear to evacuate?

When the Bay Area experiences high temperatures, Cal Fire's evacuation guide recommends that you cover up to protect against heat and flying embers, and says 100% cotton is preferable.

The guide advises you to wear long pants, long sleeve shirt, heavy shoes/boots, cap, dry bandanna for face cover, goggles or glasses.

Where do I go once I've evacuated?

When you're making an evacuation plan, first check to see if you can stay in a hotel or with friends and family, which may be the safest options during the pandemic. Here's how to find an evacuation center if you can't make other arrangements.

Stay with friends

If you have relatives or friends outside the evacuation area who you think might have space to accommodate you, ask them ahead of time so they're prepared for you.

Cal Fire's evacuation guide advises that you ask anyone you're contemplating staying with if they have symptoms of COVID-19 or have people in their home at higher risk for serious illness. If the answer to one or both of those questions is "yes," make other arrangements.

Stay in a hotel

Check with hotels, motels or campgrounds outside your area to see whether they can accept you. Your county might also have a plan to free up available rooms. For example, in August 2020 Santa Cruz County officials requested that all visitors and tourists depart to leave space for evacuees.

How do I find an evacuation center?

If staying with a friend or in a hotel isn't an option, you can go to an evacuation center. It's wise to research which center you'd be going to ahead of time — because you don't want to be researching your destination as you scramble to evacuate.

Details of nearby evacuation centers will be provided by your county, so find your nearest evacuation center. Keep in mind that your evacuation center may be different from previous years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The American Red Cross is also providing evacuation shelters across California. Check to see if there's a Red Cross evacuation shelter near you.

How will evacuations centers work with COVID-19?

The Red Cross — which provides evacuees shelter due to recent wildfires — established standard precautions based on guidance from health officials, FEMA and the CDC in 2020.

However, the Red Cross will prioritize providing refuge in individual hotel rooms or dormitory style rooms when possible. Evacuees should go to a shelter or center first (one of the larger ones is recommended) to discuss the possibility of being housed in an individual room.

The Red Cross is taking additional precautions at evacuation centers, including health screenings and face coverings required at admission, extra handwashing stations and staggering meal times to enable social distancing. Read more about what to bring to an evacuation center.

What if this all happens at night?

In the event of an evacuation order, a “Hi-Lo” siren will be used that should be loud enough to wake you.

If you're concerned your home is under threat, make sure you update yourself on the situation before going to bed. If you have alerts set up on your phone, take your phone off any nighttime mode settings and make sure your alert notification sounds have the volume turned all the way up.

The possibility of evacuation in the middle of the night is also why it's important to have your plans made and your emergency bag ready ahead of time — and to keep your supplies somewhere that you can grab them quickly and easily, even if you've just woken up.

What if I or someone in my family has a medical or mobility issue?

Ensure that your emergency bag has any medicines, supplies or home-use medical devices you and your family might need — with a medications list that includes prescriptions and other important medical information.

If you're concerned about medical supplies and facilities at an evacuation center, Heather Williams of Cal Fire recommends contacting your county and/or the Red Cross ahead of time, to find out about their plan for accommodating medical needs in evacuation centers.

What about my pets?

If you have pets, consider their needs in your emergency bag preparations. Read our checklist for pets, which includes enough food and water to last your pet two weeks.

Make sure your pets have collars with identification, rabies and license tags. Check to make sure your contact information is up to date.

For more information on transporting pets, larger animals and livestock, check Cal Fire's guide to animal evacuation.

What if I don't have a car?

It's important that your emergency bag is light enough to transport without a car, and be carried (or pulled, in a tub or a chest on wheels) easily. Even if you have a vehicle, you might find yourself in an evacuation situation that demands you leave it.

If you're worried about how you'll leave your home area without a car, Cal Fire's Heather Williams recommends that you work with your neighbors— or nearby friends and family, if you have them — to coordinate. If you're relying on someone else's car to evacuate, she recommends you leave your home "sooner rather than later" because your ride might not be able to physically get to you if you leave it too late.

What if I or a family member doesn't have a smartphone?

Counties increasingly rely on the WEA system — wireless emergency alerts — that by and large are delivered to cellphones through the IPAWS system, the federal integrated public alert and warning system. Those alerts also go to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Radios, which operate on emergency cranks or battery power. NOAA weather radios broadcast official warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information consistently.

You can also sign up to get NIXLE alerts, which can come via texts, voice messages and emails. If you have a friend, family member or neighbor who does have a smartphone, set up a system so they can send you important information.

What should I do for my house before I leave?

If you're anticipating an evacuation, and have time to prepare your house, Cal Fire has a guide to giving your home the best chance of surviving a wildfire. Their checklist includes:

• Shut off gas at the meter; turn off pilot lights
• Shut off the air conditioning
• Shut all windows and doors, leaving them unlocked
• Remove flammable window shades, curtains and close metal shutters, and remove lightweight curtains
• Move flammable furniture to the center of the room, away from windows and doors
• Leave your lights on so firefighters can see your house under smoky conditions.

Find more information about keeping your home prepared for wildfires all year round — including how to create defensible space.

This story has been updated.