Ways to Stay Safe as the Southern California Fires Progress
Be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice (get together food, water, and objects and mementos that can’t be replaced or aren’t digitized –such as old photo albums).
Locate the nearest available relief shelter and plan a route there from your location to ensure an efficient and low-risk evacuation.
If you’re near enough to the fires that you can see light from them you should consider evacuating, even if you haven’t been told to do so yet.
If the flames are nearing your home and it is safe to do so, do your best to water down your homes and backyards (seriously, soak them) in order to make them slightly more flame retardant and less likely to catch fire.
If you can see thick smoke and it smells like a barbecue, but you have not been issued an evacuation order, please DO NOT go outside, as breathing in the smoke can seriously damage your lungs. If you have to go outside, wear an industrial mask/ respirator with a carbon filter so you don’t breathe in the harmful smoke. If you can’t get your hands on one of those, a wet cloth can work relatively well. If either of those isn’t doable, anything you can wear to cover your nose and mouth is better than wearing nothing at all, such as a medical face mask or even a washcloth.
If you are in Ventura, it is highly recommended by the LAFD that you boil any drinking water before you consume it to ensure it is potable and free of toxins from your surrounding environment.
If you have air filtration devices, or an A/C that uses air from the interior of your living space, turn it on in order to clear out the air and make breathing easier. (If you are unsure whether your air conditioning unit uses outside air or not, or if you know that it uses outside air DO NOT turn on your A/C units, as they will blow in air that is not safe to inhale.)
If you are asthmatic and must go outside, keep your inhaler with you if you have one, wear a mask to prevent attacks, and limit your time outdoors as much as possible.
If you have to relocate to a shelter or hotel and have household pets with you, you can safely check them in at select VCA locations free of charge. Pets should be current on vaccinations, but in case they aren’t, the VCA veterinarians will update vaccinations free of charge. VCA Hospitals will also offer a free health assessment exam for pets that have been evacuated due to the fires.
Please heed the warnings of local law and fire officials and follow their instructions in order to stay safe.
We all need to work together and stay safe during this scary time.
