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Comment by flukus | Hacker News Reader

> The most important rule. IF YOU CAN SEE THE FIRE AT ALL, GO.

Actually, listen to local authorities, if you can see the fire then there's a good chance that it's too late. I'm sure you're aware of our newer "stay or go" procedures and that these decisions must often be taken 12-24 hours in advance. You don't want to be one of those tragic images of a burnt out car on the road while you were trying to evacuate.

If OP is asking on HN now then I think it's safe to say they don't have a well thought out evacuation plan and should leave ASAP if it's still safe to do so, just take the phone, wallet and a few clothes.

View on HN

I would assume OP is up on whatever local authorities are advising and is posting to HN (at least in part) as an alternative to running around flailing arms and screaming like Kermit the Frog. I approve such choices and am happy to participate in helping them try to stay calm and do something vaguely constructive in the face of this.

Hmm I'm on two minds about this, I don't know what it's like in the us, but in aus, when there's a fire we get constant updates about position and direction.

If you are unsure, I'll certainly agree, be. Fucking. Careful.

Otherwise, staying seems like a bad plan(cavet yes I know I know, but shit. If it's coming towards toh, go, if there is akm firebreak between you don't, I can't cover everything edge case)

Staying is an awful plan right up until the point where it isn't. That point depends on local factors like which roads you can take. If there is only one access road and it's in the fires path with no time to escape then you're better off taking your chances at home with a garden hose or swimming pool. A significant number of the black Saturday deaths were from people that left evacuation too late: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Saturday_bushfires

The same could be said for leaving is an awful plan until it isn't.

I don't disagree with you, it's risky either way, and I only have my own personal experience to go from (which was dense bush to near the house), so I can't give op a definite plan. Not without knowing a lot more than I do, what I do know though, is leaving 24 hours before it arrives, is a lot safer than either of the previous options. Worst case scenario ario, a little fuel is wasted.

An above-ground pool or water tank is a bad place to go. In-ground can be a little better. If you're trapped and there's no way out, go for it, but don't depend on a water store to save you.

Unbelievably, and as a complete shock to me given the fire-prone nature of this area, there is almost no information available other than "the fire was here". We all went on line expecting such simple and fundamental information, but there is none to be found. It is truly disgraceful that they don't have anything better than it's fine/evacuate. I literally need to check twitter/facebook once I am done typing this comment.

Edit: Just found a good facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/SCScanner/

Yeah, the maps available all seem to use satellite data that updates once a night. The Santa Rosa Firestorm Update facebook group[1] is probably good for on the ground updates, and sub-groups are springing up for specific neighborhoods next in the path as well.[2]

1: https://www.facebook.com/groups/586292148428439/

2: https://www.facebook.com/groups/208796179660535/

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