A Wildfire Scare Became a Wakeup Call

The first day back in the office after Labor Day weekend started out like any other day. It was hot and dry, and while the air outside both smelled and looked smoky Laura wasn’t worried. She and her boyfriend, Dylan live on the rim of a canyon in South Dakota, so they were used to smog or smoke getting trapped in the canyon. Though they knew they shouldn’t spend too much time outside because of poor air quality, it was easy for them to go about their morning without concern.

The Scare

All that changed when Dylan received an alarming message from their landlord saying they needed to pack their things and leave. Confused, Dylan searched online and saw on the county’s website a fire evacuation warning had been issued for the area. Understandably they panicked, but they quickly packed a bag, grabbed their dog and left home.

“I noticed while driving down our street that people seemed to be going about their days and not mirroring our state of panic,” Laura said afterward. “It was so scary, in that moment, of not knowing where the fire was and feeling the urgent need to leave.”

Laura and Dylan stopped at a local gas station and decided to do some additional research. They learned that a level one evacuation warning alerts you to prepare for and monitor the situation. As they returned home, they replayed their actions, and how a well-intended text sent them into a frenzy.

The Wakeup Call

Dylan grew up in Tornado Alley so he was aware of what to do when a tornado warning is issued. But, while both he and Laura have both lived in other states that experience wildfires, neither have had a fire so close to their home that evacuation orders were issued.

“Despite being scary, this was a learning experience for both of us,” Laura shared. “We didn’t know there were different levels of evacuation orders, and we took advice from a well-meaning but uninformed source. Next time we’ll be better prepared.”

Every outdoorsman knows that if you are close enough to hear thunder, you are close enough to be hit by lighting. Laura’s story may ring in a new truism, which is that if you are close enough to smell smoke, you are close enough to be in a fire’s path. With that reality comes a call to action. We all should learn how evacuation messages are disseminated in our community and have a plan in place if the time comes that we have to leave home in a hurry.

Tips on Being Prepared

Here are Laura’s tips she compiled that can potentially help your family prepare for a possible wildfire evacuation:

• Pay attention to the wildfire conditions in your community. When smelling smoke in the air or noticing smoky conditions outside, check your local air quality at AirNow.gov. The Fire and Smoke Map uses your zip code to show air quality conditions and fire locations in your area.
• Get your information from a trusted messenger. Being alerted to a potential emergency from a neighbor, a friend or social media can be useful, and if you feel threatened by a wildfire, you should not wait for an official evacuation order to leave. However, if you have the time, seek out information through your local news outlets. They will broadcast evacuation notices posted by local or state officials, so you have the best possible information to keep yourself and your family out of harm's way. You should also sign up to receive local emergency alerts on your cell phone.
• Know what to pack. Having a basic idea of what you would take during an evacuation can help lessen the chances you leave something important behind. Laura learned after the scare a suggested way to remember the most important things, the 5 Ps: people, prescriptions, papers, personal needs, and priceless Items. She’d advocate adding a P for pets, but they weren’t going anywhere without their dog, so she didn’t really need to be reminded.
• Know when to leave. There is a process in place where your local law enforcement agency coordinates evacuations from a disaster or emergency. But if you feel threatened by a wildfire, you should not wait for an official evacuation order. Otherwise, there are three levels of evacuation orders and it’s important to know what they mean:
  • Level 1: Be Ready: Prepare, monitor and pack your valuables.
  • Level 2: Be Set: Be set to evacuate at a moment’s notice.
  • Level 3: GO: Leave immediately.

Climate change is contributing to an increasing number of wildfires and increasing intensity of the fires themselves. While it is important to know what to do when wildfires or wildfire smoke threaten your health, it is also important to learn more about climate change and what you can do to lessen your impact on the environment.

Learn more about how to be prepared at Lung.org/wildfires.