Fire Tips from CDF

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection offers these safety tips. You should remember
them if you´re trapped in a fire:

In a vehicle:

If you can see through the fire to a safe area, drive quickly through the flames. However, if it´s too
smokey to see, don´t take a chance. Pull into the widest clearing you can find, turn off your air conditioner and leave the engine running.

Get down on
the floorboards on the side of the car farthest from the flames, cover your mouth and nose with a dry cloth, and cover yourself with a blanket or jacket if you
have one. Let the fire burn over you, and don´t leave the vehicle until it passes. After the fire is beyond you get out quickly and head for an alrea that´s already
burned.

On Foot:

If there is a lake or river in sight, get into it.

Otherwise, try to get into a low area, like a creek bed. Dig a small hole
in the ground for your face, if you have to let teh fire pass over you.

If you see a rocky outcropping, try to use it for protection. Get as deep into it as
you can, and remember that radiant heat can also burn you.

If it´s a narrow wall of flame headed toward you, and you can see the other side of it, you
might be able to run through it. If yuo choose to do that, make sure your eyes, nose and mouth are covered, do not inhale while you´re running through the fire,
and as soon as you´re on the otehr side, stop, drop and roll.