With fire season here to stay, how to best prepare for evacuation orders
The California Neighborhood Watch hosted a mock evacuation drill Sunday for residents of the canyon communities for the event of a fire taking place near their home.
With warm temperatures here to stay, the threat of fire danger is always a cause for concern for most Southern California residents.
Fire season is not going away anytime soon and it's hard to predict when and where a fire will take place.
That is why Stone Canyon resident Kevin Sullivan is not taking any chances when it comes to preparing for what will happen when a fire breaks out near his home.
"Birth certificates, social security cards, insurance policies. ...," Sullivan said in regard to what has packed and ready to go in the event of an evacuation order. "We got three days of clothes we have dog food ready .We just grab the dogs, leashes, ready set go box and we're out."
However, it's unlikely that all residents in the Sherman Oaks and Stone Canyon area are as prepared as Sullivan is.
"When you have to evacuate its not the time to make a plan. Know where your documents are, know your route of travel," LAPD Captain Kelly Muniz said.
Due to smaller and more narrow streets, residents of the canyon communities are at the highest risk for when fires break out.
A major reason why the LAPD and the California Neighborhood Watch hosted the mock drill.
"Because those are very narrow streets, if you're blocking those narrow roads you're only harming yourself and your neighbor," Robert Tomlinson of the California Association of Neighborhood Watch said. "A fire doesn't care how much money you make or title at your work. It just wants two things: fuel and oxygen and if your house is standing in the way it's going to eat it up."
It's highly recommended to keep important documents such as birth certificates, passports, social security cards, diplomas and other important files in a box that can be easily grabbed and transferred.
Other important items like medication, pictures, belongings are also urged to keep somewhere convenient and stored.