What Does “Safe Evacuation” Mean?

 Cork Rech, CCCFPD CWPP Implementation Committee

When we think of safely evacuating ahead of a wildfire, we must think backwards from the moment the evacuation notice hits our phones.

But first, have you registered your number to get an evacuation notice? If not, you might not even get an alert. Go to the Fire Department’s website (www.coalcreekcanyonfd.org) to sign up for the emergency alert system for your county. While there, we recommended that everyone in Coal Creek Canyon (CCC) also sign up for the Boulder County emergency alert system, as all fire dispatches go through a system based in Boulder County.

Do you have an evacuation plan? In a wildfire, a Sheriff's Deputy may be posted at the entrances to CCC to restrict access. You need to have an evacuation plan in place for getting out quickly and for having neighbors lined up to help evacuate your elderly or adolescent family members, pets, livestock and "go bag" in the event you are away and not allowed back into the community.

Is your evacuation plan written down and posted where everyone can find it? It is likely that, when the evacuation notice comes, your mind will go blank, and you will probably forget many of the plans you made. Post your plan inside a closet or cabinet door.

Is your main go-bag packed? Each family member should also have an empty backpack, a list of last-minute things to grab and a list of emergency phone numbers. Make sure everyone has their cell phones, chargers and a backup battery pack.

Has your family practiced your evacuation plan? Doing a dry run will show how long it will take your family to get on the road. Shoot for no more than 20 minutes from the alert to leaving your driveway. Consider leaving when a pre-evacuation order is in place, to avoid traffic congestion. Also know that, in extreme fire scenarios, you may have only minutes to get everyone out.

Are your vehicles ready? Consider taking only one vehicle to lessen traffic load out of the canyon. Insured vehicles are replaceable. As extended evacuation times are likely, always head home with a full tank of gas.

Do you know the four evacuation routes out of the Fire District? See the fire department’s website for the routes and drive them before an emergency occurs. In an emergency, always follow the directions of police or firefighters.

Do you know how long it may take you to evacuate from CCC? Under all evacuation scenarios, portions of Highway 72 could experience extreme congestion with travel times 5-11 times longer than without evacuation traffic. Check the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), page 228, for estimated length of time from your neighborhood out of CCC. Find a link to the CWPP on www.CoalCreekCWPP.org.

Can you even get out of your neighborhood in an active fire scenario? The fire science experts who created our CWPP identified many potentially non-survivable roads throughout CCC. Most of these shared roadways need roadside fuels mitigation to make them safe evacuation routes. Contact your CCCFPD Community Ambassador to see a map of the non-survivable roads in your neighborhood. Email your name and address to the CWPP Implementation Team (CWPPforCCC@gmail.com) and we will send you the contact info of your Community Ambassador.

How can you help the Fire Department safely defend your home from wildfire? Effective fire mitigation, done by you and your neighbors, can allow firefighters to take a stand to protect your neighborhood. Homeowners have the ultimate responsibility to proactively prepare their property for wildfire. By creating and maintaining the Home Ignition Zone (HIZ), residents can improve the likelihood of their home surviving a wildfire and reduce the negative impacts wildfires can have on their property. If you live in Boulder County, contact Wildfire Partners for an HIZ assessment. Or email your Community Ambassadors to get an HIZ Workshop scheduled for your community.