How far away should the destination be?

At least 30 miles for wildfire and flood; further for hurricanes, where evacuation zones can be state-sized. If the primary destination is close, plan a second one further out in case regional shelters fill up.

Assume the traffic you saw in the news. During major California and Louisiana evacuations, 20-mile trips have taken 6 hours. Full gas tanks, phone-mount navigation, and water in the car all matter.

Should I bring my pet?

Yes. Almost all disaster shelters now accept pets, and the ones that don't will refer to a co-located pet shelter. Never leave a pet chained or in a crate you can't unlock remotely.

When should I actually leave?

Leave when told, or ideally before. Voluntary evacuation before a mandatory order avoids the traffic, keeps roads open for emergency vehicles, and takes uncertainty off the table.

Home evacuation plan: two routes, two destinations.

Q: Why two routes?

Because the primary route can be blocked by the hazard itself. In wildfires, the road that runs alongside your neighborhood is often the first one to close. Plan a secondary route in a different direction.

A plan for the day you have to leave. Two routes, two destinations, a set of trigger points, and a drill you've actually run.

Two routes

Draw two evacuation routes from your driveway to the nearest highway in different directions. This weekend, drive both — during the day, and at night. Note where you'd go if a specific bridge, tunnel, or canyon road were closed. Load both routes into your phone's maps app as favorites.

In wildfires especially, the primary route is often the one that closes first — the road that runs alongside your neighborhood is where the fire moved through. Two routes is the minimum; three is better in mountain communities with limited egress.

Two destinations

A primary destination and a fallback. Both at least 30 miles away, in different directions. Both people or hotels you've talked to.

Family or friends outside the likely impact zone.
A specific hotel chain and location; add a second in case the first is full.
Any state or county emergency shelter list — worth knowing but not the plan.

Confirm the destination accepts pets and any accessibility needs you have. Save the addresses in your phone.

Trigger points

Decide before the day what makes you leave. Ambiguity is what keeps people in the house too long.

Wildfire. Any evacuation warning for your zone. A Red Flag Warning with active fire within 20 miles. Smoke thick enough that you can smell it indoors.
Hurricane. The mandatory order for your zone. 72 hours before projected landfall if you have medical needs, mobility issues, or elderly household members.
Flood. Any flash flood warning for your immediate watershed. Water rising visibly on your street.
Personal veto. Anyone in the household can call it. Nobody has to justify leaving.

Vehicle staging

During hazard season, keep the primary vehicle's tank above three-quarters.
Store family go-bags where they load in under two minutes.
Paper map in the glove box; phone data may not work.
Phone mount and car USB charger installed.
A jug of water and a case of granola bars in the trunk during summer.

Roles on the day

Divide the 10-minute departure into specific tasks so nobody freezes:

Adult 1: kids, pets, medications, go-bags into car.
Adult 2: laptops, wallets, phones, chargers, family documents pouch, close windows, shut interior doors, lock front door.
Older child: designated younger sibling's shoes, jacket, comfort item.

The drill

Twice a year — pick daylight-savings weekends so you remember — run a full drill. An unannounced alarm from one household member; everyone else grabs their go-bag and executes their role; meet at the driveway; drive the primary route to a nearby coffee shop; drive home via the secondary route. Debrief on the way back: what took too long, what was missing, what's changed since last time.

Know your address's exposure first

The whole plan depends on knowing which hazards actually apply to your address. Run your address through the ArchipelAI homeowner demo for a scored profile — flood, fire, wind, heat, quake — plus a 20-year outlook. The result tells you which trigger points matter most and which routes you should really drive this weekend.

The home evacuation plan.