Hawk Fire evacuation warnings highlight need for emergency preparedness
Residents in Sierra County are under evacuation warnings as the Hawk Fire burns near Nevada, prompting fire officials to urge everyone to prepare for emergencies and consider whether they are ready to leave quickly.
| MORE | Hawk Fire: Wildfire in Nevada burns thousands of acres, prompts Sierra County evac warnings
Mark Nuñez of Sacramento Metro Fire said, “When an order is in place, you’re going to have to leave, but you want to be able to anticipate that. If we all waited to leave at one certain time, you’re going to be susceptible to lots of traffic on the road. What happens if that secondary egress is blocked? You want to make sure that you have a plan and you leave sooner than later.”
Nuñez also emphasized the importance of being prepared to sustain oneself for three days, saying, “Be prepared to be able to stay on your own for three days. That might mean bringing a change of clothes, hygiene products, making sure you have your eye glasses, contacts, extra set of keys, and some of your most important vital documents.”
He added that emergency preparedness is essential for everyone, regardless of location. “It doesn’t really matter whether you’re up in the mountains or whether you’re down here. You want to make sure you know where all the most important things that you’re going to have to take in an emergency,” Nuñez said.
California is deploying resources to fight the Hawk Fire, with engines and teams from Sacramento Metro, West Sacramento, El Dorado, Modesto, South Lake Tahoe, Penn Valley, and Cosumnes fire departments heading to Nevada as flames approach the city of Reno.
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