Ready, Set, Go is the framework. This guide turns it into a written plan for your home: who does what, where you go and what you take.
Most families have a vague wildfire plan. Something like: “If there’s a fire, we’ll grab the dog and leave.” It sounds reasonable until the moment arrives. The phone alert comes at 2 a.m. Smoke is visible. One parent is at work across town. The car has a quarter tank of gas. Nobody remembers where the passports are. The dog is hiding under the bed.
A written wildfire action plan turns good intentions into clear steps. CAL FIRE’s widely used “Ready, Set, Go!” framework is the foundation: get ready long before a fire, set yourself up when a fire is nearby, and go early when told to evacuate or when you feel unsafe. This guide shows how to turn that framework into a plan tailored to your household. It is general information; always follow instructions from local officials and your fire authority.
Why a written plan matters
Stress makes it hard to think clearly. A written plan does the thinking in advance, so in an emergency you can follow steps rather than make decisions from scratch. It also means everyone in the household, including babysitters, grandparents and older kids, knows the plan even if the person who usually organizes things is not home.
Step one: know your area
Start with the basics of where you live:
- Your county and city
- Your Fire Hazard Severity Zone, which you can check on CAL FIRE’s official map
- Your local evacuation zone, if your county uses zone-based evacuations
- The main and backup routes out of your neighborhood
- The nearest likely shelter or evacuation center
Many California counties now divide communities into evacuation zones with names or numbers. Knowing yours means you can recognize instantly whether an alert applies to you.
Step two: sign up for alerts
Official alerts are only useful if you receive them. Most California counties offer emergency notification systems that send texts, calls or emails. Sign up every adult in the household, and include work and school addresses if possible. Turn on Wireless Emergency Alerts on your phone, and consider a battery-powered or hand-crank radio in case power and cell service fail.
Also learn the difference between an Evacuation Warning, which means prepare to leave, and an Evacuation Order, which means leave now. Many officials encourage people who need extra time, such as families with young children, older adults, people with disabilities and people with animals, to leave during a warning rather than waiting for an order.
Step three: decide where you will go
Pick at least two destinations:
- A nearby option, like a friend’s home in a lower-risk area
- A farther option outside the region
Write down addresses and phone numbers. Choose a meeting point in case household members are separated and phones are not working. Choose an out-of-area contact person whom everyone checks in with; long-distance calls and texts sometimes get through when local lines are overloaded.
Step four: assign roles
Decide in advance who does what. For example:
- Parent one: kids and pets
- Parent two: go bags, documents and medications
- Teenager: phone chargers, laptop and checking on the neighbor
- Everyone: close windows and doors if time allows
Include a backup for each role in case someone is away. Roles prevent the chaos of everyone grabbing the same things while important items are forgotten.
Step five: plan for people with extra needs
Think carefully about anyone who may need help:
- Infants and young children
- Older adults
- People with disabilities or medical conditions
- People who rely on powered medical equipment
- People without cars
Plan transportation, medications, mobility aids and backup power. Talk to neighbors who may need assistance and agree on how you will check on each other. Some utilities and counties offer programs for people who rely on medical equipment; it is worth asking.
Step six: plan for animals
Pets and livestock add time and complexity. Prepare carriers, leashes, food, water and medications. Keep current photos of your animals and their vaccination records. Know where you can take them; not all shelters accept animals. If you have livestock, plan trailers, routes and destinations well in advance, and leave early.
Step seven: list what to take
Write a short “grab list” in priority order. Many people use a version of the “six Ps”: people and pets, papers, prescriptions, pictures, personal computers, and plastic (credit cards and cash). Keep a go bag packed for each person with essentials like water, snacks, clothes, medications, chargers and copies of important documents.
Step eight: write the “Set” checklist
If there is time before leaving, officials often recommend steps to help your home and firefighters, such as:
- Closing windows, vents and doors
- Moving flammable furniture away from windows
- Moving flammable items away from the house
- Connecting garden hoses
- Leaving exterior lights on so the home is visible in smoke
- Parking your car facing out, with keys ready
Check CAL FIRE’s current guidance and follow instructions from officials. Never delay evacuation to complete these steps.
Step nine: put it on paper
A good plan fits on one or two pages. Include:
- Addresses of home, destinations and meeting point
- Evacuation zone and routes
- Emergency contacts and out-of-area contact
- Roles and backups
- Grab list
- Pet and special needs plans
- Key phone numbers: insurance, doctors, schools, work
Print copies for the fridge, each car and each go bag. Save a digital copy too.
Step ten: practice
A plan you have never practiced is a plan you will struggle to follow. Run a drill a couple of times a year. Time how long it takes to get everyone, including pets, into the car with go bags. Drive your evacuation routes. Practice at night once. Each drill reveals small problems you can fix before they matter.
Keep the plan current
Update your plan when anything changes: a new baby, a new pet, a new job, a new car, a move or a change in medications. Review it every year before fire season.
Talking about the plan with kids
Children cope better when they know there is a plan. Explain it calmly and simply. Give them a role, like carrying their own small backpack or helping with the pet. Practice makes the unfamiliar feel routine. Reassure them that the plan exists to keep everyone safe.
Plans for renters and shared homes
If you share a home with roommates or rent, include everyone in planning. Agree on how you will communicate, who checks which rooms and how you will handle shared pets. Ask your landlord about building-specific evacuation information.
Questions people ask
When should we leave?
Follow official instructions, and leave earlier if you feel unsafe or need extra time. Officials consistently stress that leaving early is safer than waiting.
What if we are separated?
That is why you choose a meeting point and an out-of-area contact. Make sure everyone, including kids old enough, knows both.
Should we stay and defend our home?
Officials generally advise evacuating when told to. Staying can put you and firefighters at serious risk.
Key takeaways
Know your zone and routes, sign up for alerts, choose destinations and a meeting point, assign roles with backups, plan for people and animals with extra needs, write it all on one or two pages, store copies in several places, and practice. A plan on paper beats a plan in your head every time.
A sample one-page plan
Here is how a completed plan might look for a family of four with a dog, living in a foothill neighborhood:
- Our zone: County evacuation Zone B-14. Alerts: county alert system (both parents and the 15-year-old registered), Wireless Emergency Alerts on.
- Routes: Primary, Ridge Road to Highway 49 south. Backup, Canyon Drive to Old Mill Road.
- Destinations: Aunt Rosa’s house in town (nearby). Grandpa’s house two hours away (farther).
- Meeting point if separated: the library parking lot in town.
- Out-of-area contact: Uncle David in Oregon.
- Roles: Mom, kids and dog. Dad, go bags, documents, medications. Teen, chargers, laptop, check on Mrs. Lopez next door. Backup for every role: whoever is home.
- Grab list: go bags (hall closet), document box (bedroom closet), dog carrier and food (garage), photo hard drive (office).
- Car rule: half a tank or more during fire season, parked facing out.
It fits on a single page, lives on the fridge and in each go bag, and gets reviewed every spring.
Most of all, start. A rough plan written tonight is far more useful than a perfect plan you intend to write someday.
Then share it, practice it and keep it where everyone can find it.
Turning notes into a plan
Many families know what should be in their plan but struggle to turn scattered notes into a clear, printable document. AI writing assistants can help: you can describe your household, pets, vehicles, routes and roles, then ask for a one-page plan in a specific format, a kid-friendly version and a drill checklist. You can also ask for a list of questions you might have forgotten to consider.
The output is only as good as your input, and it must be checked against official guidance. Always confirm evacuation zones, alerts and recommended steps with CAL FIRE, your county and local fire officials. A tool can save you an evening of formatting; it cannot replace official instructions.
This article is general information, not professional safety, insurance, legal or medical advice. Always follow instructions from CAL FIRE, your local fire authority and emergency officials.