Mountain Living During Fire Season

By Ali Dickson

Whether you’re experiencing your first fire season in Truckee, or you were born a local, there is always something new to learn about mountain living and preparedness during fire season.

WHAT IS WILDFIRE SEASON?
The dry and arid months in the summer and fall represent peak wildfire season in the Sierra. The combination of warm temperatures, little precipitation and fast winds create favorable conditions for fires to start. Whether through lightning, manmade sparks or something different, the potential for fire increases exponentially during these months.

On particularly dangerous days, red flag warnings are issued by the National Weather Service. This means all open flames are banned, including gas grills and gas firepits. One less spark means one less flame.

WHAT AHPPENS IF WILDFIRE COMES?
Being prepared for an emergency creates not only peace of mind but a quick departure if emergency strikes. When preparing your home, remember:

• Leave early, ahead of mandatory evacuation
• Know your evacuation routes
• Pay attention to weather and warnings
• Bring any pets with you.

Packing an emergency kit saves important time if you need to leave your home immediately. An emergency go bag should stay in your car in case you need to quickly leave. If you do not have a car, leave your bag in an easily accessible space in your home, and have a plan to safely evacuate with a friend, family member or trusted person. Your go bag should include:

• Food, like snacks
• Water Bottles
• Important Documents
• Map of Truckee (cell service may be undependable)
• Face Coverings

For more prevention tips, visit PreventWildfireCA.org

RESOURCES:
There are many local and national resources for both emergency and everyday use. Utilizing and becoming familiar with these resources now can be life-saving in a crisis situation.

In addition to national and local resources, Tahoe Donner has an emergency preparedness webpage with up-to-date resources for you and your family. These resources are great to become familiar with now, before emergency strikes.

To find resources like local text alerts, fire bans, more wildfire prevention tips and Tahoe Donner’s recently installed fire camera, visit tahoedonner.com/preparedness.