Michael Wellborn 4/29/25 Michael Wellborn 4/29/25

Creating a Wildfire Evacuation Plan for Your Family

Wildfire evacuations happen fast. Sometimes you have hours to prepare; sometimes, it’s only minutes. That’s why every California household—especially those in the East Bay—should have a clear, practiced evacuation plan.

This isn’t just about checking a few boxes on a to-do list. It’s about making decisions now so that you and your loved ones don’t have to make them during the chaos of a fire.

Here’s how to build a smart, reliable wildfire evacuation plan, plus how the Zone Zero Fire Shield solution can give you extra peace of mind when you leave.

Step 1: Know Your Threats

If you live in areas like Moraga, Orinda, Danville, Oakland Hills, or Blackhawk, your home is in what CAL FIRE designates as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ). That means fast-moving wildfires, steep terrain, and limited escape routes.

Moraga Emergency Preparedness: Moraga advises all residents to maintain 2 evacuation routes and keep vehicles filled and facing out. Their site includes shelter information and evacuation route maps.
Orinda Evacuation Info: Orinda publishes specific wildfire zones and has guidance for evacuation drills and neighborhood watch collaboration.
Lafayette Evacuation Planning: The city recommends preloading evacuation zones into your navigation apps.
City of Oakland Evacuation Preparedness: Includes Zonehaven information and emphasizes Go-Bag prep and pets.
Contra Costa Sheriff’s Evacuation Readiness: Broad guidelines, including community-wide drills and sheltering plans.

Visit CAL FIRE’s FHSZ Viewer to confirm your risk zone.

Step 2: Build and Maintain a Go-Bag

Each member of your household—including pets—should have a “go-bag” ready at all times. Keep it in a closet near your main exit or in your car during fire season.

Include:

Copies of important documents (insurance, ID, title)
Flashlight and extra batteries
Medications and medical supplies
Phone chargers and power banks
Cash and credit card
3-day supply of food and water
Pet food and leash
Change of clothes and sturdy shoes
N95 masks (for smoke)
USB with family photos and documents
Portable radio

Maintain your bag seasonally. Refill medications, rotate food and water, and test electronics.

Step 3: Design Multiple Evacuation Routes

Fires often block main roads. Your family should know at least two ways out of your neighborhood.

Steps to plan routes:

Drive each route in daylight and at night
Check for construction or narrow passages
Keep printed maps in your vehicle
Practice using navigation apps to avoid hazards

Local road closure info:

511 Contra Costa
Zonehaven Aware for real-time zone status

Step 4: Family Communication Plan

Wildfire evacuations are chaotic. You might not be together when the order comes.

Establish:

A central out-of-area contact person
Meeting locations outside the neighborhood
Backup communication methods (walkie-talkies, written instructions)

Encourage family to memorize:

One out-of-town contact number
Your evacuation zone ID (Zonehaven provides these)
Your address and cross-streets

Step 5: Sign Up for Local Alerts

Every city and county has its own alert system. Don’t wait—register for them all:

AC Alert (Alameda County)
Contra Costa County Alerts
City of Berkeley Emergency Notifications
Moraga Police Nixle
Oakland Wildfire Evacuation Alerts

Enable push notifications, emails, and SMS for every adult in the household.

Step 6: Prep Vehicles and Tools

Your vehicle becomes your escape route. Don’t let it be the weakest link.

Gas tanks half full or more
Park facing outward, away from garage doors
Keep spare keys accessible
Remove paper, gas cans, flammable seat covers
Consider a rooftop cargo box for extra gear
Don’t forget tire pressure and battery checks

Step 7: Make a Pet Evacuation Plan

Many families lose pets during wildfires—not because they don’t care, but because they’re unprepared.

Keep crates near exits
Pre-pack food, bowls, leashes, and pet meds
Microchip all pets
Store a hard copy of vaccination records
Identify shelters or hotels that accept animals

Check local animal services:

Contra Costa Animal Services
Alameda County Animal Services

Step 8: Evacuate Early

Waiting too long can cost lives. Even if the evacuation is voluntary, leave when:

Smoke is visible
Alerts recommend you “prepare to evacuate”
Emergency services are staging nearby

The earlier you leave:

The safer your route
The less congested the roads
The more time responders have to protect the neighborhood

Step 9: Protect Your Home While You Leave

Before you go, if you have time:

Close all windows and doors
Leave lights on
Shut off gas and propane
Move flammables away from the structure
Remove flammable window coverings

Or—better yet—let us handle it.

With Zone Zero Fire Shield, you don’t have to scramble to protect your belongings.

Our service:

Deploys a 3,000°F fire-resistant blanket around your home and property
Covers cars, motorcycles, RVs, propane tanks, and outdoor equipment
Works whether you’re home or not
Is triggered by early fire alerts or a pre-signed agreement
Lets you evacuate without worrying about your heirlooms, art, photos, or electronics

We’ve designed our system specifically for families who live out of state, rent their homes, or might be away when a fire hits. If you're already gone, we’ll still show up. If you are home, you can evacuate with peace of mind.

Step 10: Practice and Rehearse

At least once per year:

Sound a drill
Grab go-bags
Evacuate in real time
Time your departure
Debrief as a family and improve your plan

Include neighbors if possible. Local fire departments often support evacuation practice events or CERT training.

Additional Tips

Save scanned copies of documents to cloud storage
Keep fireproof bags in your go-bag
Install a battery backup garage door opener
Don’t rely on landlines—use SMS, apps, or battery radios

Final Word

Evacuation planning is about more than logistics—it’s about trust and readiness. When you’ve planned well, you make space for calm action instead of panic.

And when you’ve added full-structure fire shielding to your home defense, you gain the freedom to evacuate knowing your home and everything in it is protected—even if you can’t be there.

Take your family. Leave your worries.

The Zone Zero Fire Shield team hopes you find this information helpful.