> When the power is out, am I expected to start a fire in my yard to cook food?

I tried this and a neighbor called CalFire on me since its illegal when its not a "burn day".

It seems the solutions are to have:

- a 5 gallon propane tank in the garage

- a BBQ in the back yard

- your own batteries

- a generator (also useful for refrigeration)

I have about 20 gallons of gas in my garage that is good for my generator. I use the gas for my motorcycle so they get refreshed regularly.