Wildfire is burning in your area. You could have just minutes to get out. This is video from two years ago when the cow door fire sparked unprecedented evacuations in South Lake Tahoe. Safety experts say you should be prepared year round whether it's *** severe fire season or not. The Red Cross gave us five tips to help your family evacuate quickly and safely when *** wildfire spreads every minute matters. Preparation for an emergency like *** wildfire is key preparation could keep your family safe. Five tips from Steve Walsh of the American Red Cross. Number one, people should be listening to their local news sign up for emergency alerts in the town they live in. Number two pack *** go bag essentials that you'll need for the next say 48 hours medication, cell phone batteries, contact information for your family. Three plan your evacuation route and don't rely on the internet. Sometimes phone lines are down, sometimes the power is down. So it's good for you to plan, let's say two routes to get out of your house in case one of them is blocked. Tip number four, decide who you'll stay with. Whether that's family or friends or at *** Red Cross shelter and lastly trust your gut and get out, even if an order hasn't come down. Ultimately, we want you to take the initiative. And when you feel that you need to go, it's time to go important tips that in case of *** disaster could make all the difference.
Here are 5 things you can do to be ready for a wildfire
Updated: 11:32 AM PDT Aug 16, 2023
When a wildfire spreads, every minute matters and preparation is key. Steve Walsh with the American Red Cross California Gold Country Region gave us five tips that could help keep your family safe if you need to evacuate. Watch our Wildfire Ready special report Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. on KCRA 3. Our team of meteorologists will report on strategies to cut down smoke, upgrades that could save your home and eight things to pack in a go-bag now. “Number one, people should be listening to their local news, sign up for emergency alerts in the town they live in,” Walsh said. Depending on the county, they may have a different alert that could be sent straight to your phone. We have a list to sign up for county alerts here. | RELATED | 2023 California Wildfire Preparedness Guide: What to know and how to stay safeNumber two: pack a go-bag. “Essentials that you’ll need for, say, 48 hours. Medication, cell phone, batteries, contact information for family,” Walsh said. He says it’s also important to pack any supplies you might need for your pets, like a leash or medication. His third tip is to plan an evacuation route without relying on the internet. “Sometimes phone lines are down, the power is down, so it’s good for you to plan, let's say, two routes in case one of them is blocked.” Tip number four: Decide who you will stay with, whether that’s with family, friends or a Red Cross shelter. And five: Trust your instinct and get out, even if an order hasn’t come down. “Ultimately, we want you to take the initiative, and when you feel that it’s time to go, it’s time to go.”| MORE | KCRA 3 Fire Threat Index: Track fire conditions across Northern California regionsThis article was produced as part of our latest Wildfire Ready special on Aug. 16, 2023.
When a wildfire spreads, every minute matters and preparation is key.
Steve Walsh with the American Red Cross California Gold Country Region gave us five tips that could help keep your family safe if you need to evacuate.
- Watch our Wildfire Ready special report Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. on KCRA 3. Our team of meteorologists will report on strategies to cut down smoke, upgrades that could save your home and eight things to pack in a go-bag now.
“Number one, people should be listening to their local news, sign up for emergency alerts in the town they live in,” Walsh said. Depending on the county, they may have a different alert that could be sent straight to your phone. We have a list to sign up for county alerts here.
| RELATED | 2023 California Wildfire Preparedness Guide: What to know and how to stay safe
Number two: pack a go-bag. “Essentials that you’ll need for, say, 48 hours. Medication, cell phone, batteries, contact information for family,” Walsh said. He says it’s also important to pack any supplies you might need for your pets, like a leash or medication.
His third tip is to plan an evacuation route without relying on the internet. “Sometimes phone lines are down, the power is down, so it’s good for you to plan, let's say, two routes in case one of them is blocked.”
Tip number four: Decide who you will stay with, whether that’s with family, friends or a Red Cross shelter.
And five: Trust your instinct and get out, even if an order hasn’t come down. “Ultimately, we want you to take the initiative, and when you feel that it’s time to go, it’s time to go.”
| MORE | KCRA 3 Fire Threat Index: Track fire conditions across Northern California regions
This article was produced as part of our latest Wildfire Ready special on Aug. 16, 2023.
