Why You Can Trust CNET 8 Dangerous Mistakes to Avoid When Your Home Is Threatened By a Fire
Avoid these common mistakes if a wildfire is getting closer and you need to start thinking about evacuations for your and your family.
Alerts and evacuation notifications come with plenty of time to react, so keep a cool head and things will be fine.
If it seems like the number and size of wildfires have been getting bigger every summer, it has: Wildfires are constantly on the rise in the past years. And while you may read a lot of stories about fires in spots like California, it's happening across the country and around the world in all regions that are seeing hotter summers.
Here in the northwest, I've never had to evacuate for a fire, yet. But there have been many unnervingly close wildfires (enough that I've made plenty of personal preparations), and I've had too many good friends lose homes or property to the damage. I've learned a lot of people, me included, don't always have a good idea about how to respond to fast-moving fire threats.
So I'm going to talk about a different kind of security threat -- the worst mistakes you can make if your home is in danger from a fire. If you see fire warning messages light up in your area, here's what not to do.
1. Go outside to watch where the smoke is
It seems so natural -- hear a local fire warning, walk outside to see if you can tell how close the fire is. The problem? It doesn't do any good and wastes precious time.
With houses, trees and landscapes in the way, humans are horrible judges of how close or far away a fire may be. And wandering around outside trying to guess means you're not prepping emergency supplies, gathering the family or listening to news reports so you know if you have an evacuation notice or if it's getting updated.
Read more: Best Smoke Detector for 2024
Prioritize your own safety and emergency supplies when dealing with a possible evacuation.
2. Run around to the neighbors' houses
This mistake is sometimes called "hero syndrome" or something similar. Yes, you may care for your neighbors and no, you don't have any guarantee that they're following the fire news, but this isn't the time to play at rescuer. You'll just waste valuable time and possibly get in the way of evacuation or firefighting efforts. Also, there's a good chance your neighbors already know or about to find out from their own sources.
Instead, use our awesome mobile technology to text your family and local friends while you focus on your own home and loved ones. Prioritize your own safety.
3. Lock doors or windows
In the panic and worry of prepping for a possible evacuation, many homeowners go around locking their doors and windows before departure. After all, you don't want thieves or desperate people breaking in, right? Big mistake.
During fire prep and evacuations, you and your family may need unexpected access to different parts of your home, as might first responders. When things can change so rapidly, preserving access to your house is important. Keep doors and windows closed, but not locked. That's true of your garage door too -- and make sure you can manually open your garage after leaving, because power may not be on when you return.
Don't get distracted by endless visuals on TV or online. Focus on valuable, professional info like Watch Duty and official alerts.
4. Ignore radio and website warning updates
Sometimes it's easy to stay glued to the TV and social media because of their visual elements. But these sources often have the worst information about fire evacuations and what you should be doing, especially if you're watching followers and reporters instead of official sources of information.
It may not be as flashy, but the best information comes from old-fashioned radio alerts, official city and country websites, and high-quality, dedicated apps like the excellent Watch Duty. Pay attention to these sources first.
5. Focus on belongings instead of emergency supplies
Wildfire panic is horrible on our mental priorities. People may feel an urge to rush around grabbing all their most valuable or treasured possessions while preparing for an evacuation. And while grandma's old rings or your parents' album of baby photos may seem important in the moment, they aren't what you should be focusing on right now.
Instead, work on getting the family organized and emergency supplies together. That can include hardy foods that can last (preferably) for 72 hours, supplies of water and any important medications people will need for the next few days. Next comes any pets and pet food. Then you should focus on protective clothing, a medical kit and an emergency kit that includes tools, blankets and other important items.
After those things are gathered for everyone at home, secure everything safely in your vehicle. Then, if there's time left, you can start hunting for grandma's jewelry.
Read more: Heatstroke Safety: How to Spot, Stop and Assist When Someone's In Danger
Wildfires can move fast, and sometimes our instincts about how to respond are wrong.
6. Turn on all the sprinklers
It doesn't take long for homeowners facing a fire to have the bright idea of turning on their sprinklers before they go. Seems like it would help fight an encroaching fire, right? Wrong.
First, home sprinklers have only limited effect against a fast-moving fire with lots of kindling available in the neighborhood. If things get that bad, they won't help save your home. Second, leaving the sprinklers on reduces local water pressure and availability, which fire responders really, really need at this time.
This is why fire prep info on local government websites often includes requests to avoid using sprinklers, especially in drought-prone areas. But you may also discover requests for more helpful tips, like leaving out trash cans filled with water for firefighters to use.
It's easy to panic when a fire draws near, but avoid these frequent mistakes to keep your family safe.
7. Forget about last-minute yard prep
Yardwork (sprinklers aside) may sound like a weird option when a fire is drawing close, but it can actually help save your home. If you have a few extra minutes, there are steps to take in the yard that can be incredibly helpful, including:
- Moving any furniture, trash or other items away from the house (put them in the garage if possible)
- Moving your grill and associated fuel well away from the house
- Shutting off gas mains
- Attaching all garden hoses to faucets in case they're needed
8. Go back home before getting permission
Even after evacuating, people have an instinctive desire to see how their home fared and if the worst happened. So, when the news reports start talking about a fire being contained or forced back, a lot of homeowners start planning a return to their house. Bad idea.
Areas aren't clear until the evacuation order is lifted and you receive official instructions about when and/or how to return. Until then, roads may not even be open, and trying to get back will only get in the way of first responders or possibly put your vehicle (and you) in serious danger. Keep in mind fires also cause lots of access issues, so even with an all-clear returning can take time, patience and additional supplies.
For more home safety tips, visit our guides on how to protect your home in a heatwave, stay cool in the kitchen and protect your house with a security system. Don't fall for these common home security myths, either.