What to do During a Wildfire
Survival in a Vehicle
- This is dangerous and should only be done in an emergency, but you
can survive the firestorm if you stay in your car. It is much less
dangerous than trying to run from a fire on foot.
- Roll up windows and close air vents. Drive slowly with headlights
on. Watch for other vehicles and pedestrians. Do not drive through
heavy smoke.
- If you have to stop, park away from the heaviest trees and brush.
Turn headlights on and ignition off. Roll up windows and close air
vents.
- Get on the floor and cover up with a blanket or coat.
- Stay in the vehicle until the main fire passes.
- Stay in the car. Do not run! Engine may stall and not restart. Air
currents may rock the car. Some smoke and sparks may enter the vehicle.
Temperature inside will increase. Metal gas tanks and containers rarely
explode.
If You Are Trapped at Home
- Stay calm. As the fire front approaches, go inside the house. You
can survive inside. The fire will pass before your house burns down.
If Caught in the Open
- The best temporary shelter is in a sparse fuel area. On a steep
mountainside, the back side is safer. Avoid canyons, natural "chimneys"
and saddles.
- If a road is nearby, lie face down along the road cut or in the
ditch on the uphill side. Cover yourself with anything that will shield
you from the fire's heat.
- If hiking in the back country, seek a depression with sparse fuel.
Clear fuel away from the area while the fire is approaching and then
lie face down in the depression and cover yourself. Stay down until
after the fire passes!
SOURCE:FEMA
