I’m a 7th generation Californian, born in Pasadena. Because of my experiences with SoCal fires (all of which involved fleeing or watching others flee on TV), I can confidently advise that if you smell smoke, GET OUT. If you smell smoke and see smoke, GET OUT. Do not wait to be told to leave your home. Look at my video in my previous post. If you see that? GET OUT.
When you are dutifully monitoring your Watch Duty app and it tells you that you are in the evac warning zone, meaning you don’t have to evacuate right away, but your index finger wanders the Watch Duty app to the mandatory evac zone and you discover the mandatory evac zone is less than a mile from your home? What do you do? Everyone:
GET OUT.
Don’t wait. Don’t wait to be ORDERED to evacuate. Don’t wait for confirmation that you’re doing the right thing.
GET OUT.
Get out, they texted, but the cats were in their crates and already loaded in the minivan and through gritted teeth I was urging my husband and teen to please, please hurry and suddenly we were off, 2 cars, heading for the 126 through the Heritage Valley, which was like entering an apocalyptic landscape from a movie. All the smoke from the Hughes Fire went straight into the valley and headed the same direction we were, north-west-ish, for the coast.
Trust me.
Yours in staying safe,
PB
PB Rippey Writes 
Tried to comment before but it didn’t send so if it gets doubled, sorry! I’ve “liked” it to boost engagement so your lifesaving advice can get more visibility. Hope you and your loved ones stay safe x
I’ve “liked” it but in the sense of supporting you through engagement so your essential lifesaving tips hopefully get more visibility. Hope you and your loved ones stay safe x
Thanks, Naomi–we are safe. It was definitely an experience we’ll never forget, but have also definitely learned from. Summer is just around the corner.