Originally Posted By: wildman800
I've converted my ThreatCon Checklist into a FireCon Checklist.

Good list, Wildman. Just some additions off the top of my head.

Some FireCon 5 things I might add are:
  • Check local wildfire plans. E.g. when I lived in Irvine, CA, the city had its own low power AM radio station for emergency broadcasts with possibly more pertinent info for residents. And certain neighborhoods there actually have a priority on shelter-in-place rather than evacuating, due to more modern, fire resistant building requirements and landscaping.
  • Perform brush clearance and any other landscaping/maintenance tasks that local fire codes call for. Small but critical things like clearing dried leaves from rain gutters. Try and encourage your neighbors to do likewise.
  • Check your insurance coverage, update any photos/inventory of your possessions for insurance purposes.
  • Make any necessary copies of new, important documents and add them to your archive, whether a fire-resistant safe at home, a safety deposit box, another person's home, etc.
  • Also update any new info that you need to take with you, e.g. you switched insurance carriers and new contact info for them
  • Change filters on air conditioner and any room air filters, especially if you have household members with respiratory issues like asthma or emphysema
For FireCon3, I might add:
  • Load BOB into vehicle and park with nose facing OUT, towards street
  • If you have pets, check on availability of pet-friendly evacuation shelters or find other arrangements ahead of time
  • Check your planned escape routes for any new impediments or bottlenecks that you might not be aware of, such as road repairs/construction, that may make them unsuitable for a mass evac. However, if there are official evacuation routes, use those. Other roads may be closed or restricted to official vehicles during an actual evac.
FirCon2 might also include:
  • Consider applying fire resistant foam or other chemcials to exterior of house. Others may start watering down exterior of home but be aware that if everyone does that, you may be depriving fire fighters of critical water main pressure, especially in a hilly area. Some insurance companies will send a specialist to spray foam on your home for you.
  • Move flammable outdoor items indoors. Drop water resistant furniture into your pool.