What to Take When Evacuating

How to Stay Safe and Sane When a Firestorm Threatens Your Neighborhood

Photo: SvetlanaSF/Shutterstock

Many years ago, I dated a firefighter who stood on my backyard patio and looked down at the brushy, tree-filled slope leading to a local golf course. He turned to me and pointed to the bottom of the hillside.

“If a golfer tosses a cigarette on a windy day, you’ll have about five minutes before the flames reach your…