The car is a transport tool, not a wildfire shelter or an alternative to evacuation orders. A useful vehicle kit reduces ordinary delays: no charger, missing paper contact number, empty fuel tank or a garage gate that cannot open without power. It cannot make a smoky or closed road safe.
This page owns the vehicle-specific task. For the overall wildfire evacuation plan and the household’s go-bag essentials, keep those separate records.
Pack permanent vehicle items differently from departure items
| Can live in a safely stored vehicle | Should be loaded from home when leaving | Why separation matters |
|---|---|---|
| Paper contact list and locally appropriate map | Personal medication and prescriptions | Heat and access limits can damage drugs |
| Compatible phone charge cable and power source | IDs, documents, valuables and keys | Privacy/security and actual need |
| Basic first aid and durable flashlight | Pet carrier and pet food/water | Animal supplies change and may not tolerate hot cabins |
| Small compatible tools per vehicle manual | Child care, mobility and individualized equipment | Must be sized and accessible to actual travelers |
| Seat-belt/car-seat checks and roadside contact | Sufficient drinking water and familiar food | Quantities depend on riders and time |
CAL FIRE’s go-bag checklist includes portable documents, medication, food, water, chargers and spare keys. Storing all of these permanently inside a hot car could make the bag unsafe or unavailable when needed.
Five departures that can fail
- Power fails: can the authorized garage gate open through its approved procedure? Use the garage wildfire checklist for door dependencies.
- Fuel or battery is low: keep ordinary refueling/recharging habits before the fire weather, not while evacuation traffic forms.
- A normal route is closed: save official alert/navigation sources and a family destination; do not drive around barricades.
- One driver is unavailable: name a backup authorized driver or other accessible transport arrangement.
- Pets and children need loading time: practice ordinary loading before warnings, with correctly installed restraints.
The Ready for Wildfire evacuation guide emphasizes early departure, local orders, vehicle readiness and animal supplies. Never delay leaving to finish a packing checklist.
A responsible vehicle practice
In safe weather, test ordinary cargo space with the number of people and carriers involved. Keep airbags, rear visibility and vehicle exits unobstructed. Follow the vehicle maker’s child restraint and tire guidance. Do not leave pets, children, medicine, fuel or rechargeable batteries exposed to dangerous vehicle temperatures.
Wildfire car departure record
| Departure dependency | Current evidence | Backup if unavailable |
|---|---|---|
| Driver / transport | ||
| Vehicle fuel, charge and roadworthiness | ||
| Key, gate and vehicle access | ||
| Official zones, route and destination | ||
| Child seats, pets and personal go-bags | ||
| Alternative ride or meeting point |
Next action: test the ordinary departure sequence without an emergency and record the first missing vehicle or transport dependency.