With the current wildfires in the Los Angeles area, it is truly saddening to hear about the number of houses and other structures lost and the number of families who have had to evacuate. Unfortunately, wildfires, earthquakes, and other natural disasters are a way of life in many areas, not just California. Not just for natural disasters, but for other calamities as well, it’s critical to have contingency plans for if/when things happen.
 
Over the years, both my parents and my wife and I have had to evacuate because of fires. In each case, we were able to stay with friends or family members. It’s always good to setup places to stay in advance if you have to evacuate so you don’t have to waste time calling people when you’re trying to get out of the area. I recommend you have multiple places to go and different locations. For example, if you have to evacuate because of an oncoming wildfire, but the fire is between you and your intended evacuation area, that’s not very helpful.
 
You (and each family member) should also have a “go bag” with a few days of clothing, toiletries, any current medications, and some cash. Also keep a “food bag” with some non-perishable food and bottled water handy. Even if your evacuation place is only an hour away, it may actually take many hours to get there with all the other evacuees jamming the roads. Finally, something I also need to do a better job doing- always keep sufficient gas in your car (or your EV sufficiently charged) so you don’t have to worry about running out of gas before you get where you’re going.
 
You also need to have a contingency plan in place for if the worst happens and a fire (or earthquake, flood, etc.) destroys your house. Make sure you have copies of critical documents like birth/marriage certificates, deeds, passports, etc.
 
Stay safe, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst!