When fires strike, people often have very little time to gather their belongings. So, experts recommend having a go-bag ready beforehand along with an evacuation plan.
Chula Vista Fire Captain and Public Information Officer Eric Martinez said it's important to be prepared.
"Unfortunately wildfires and natural disasters like this in Southern California are year-round, so constantly having items ready to go in your go-bag is something you always need to think about," said Martinez.
He recommends that people have medications, food and other essentials for a minimum of 96 hours.
In your to-go bags, remember several things, including essential documents such as your passport, ID or your medical documents, several changes of clothes, food for the journey, and your charged phones because an emergency can disrupt your power source.
Karl Susman, an insurance expert, recommends taking pictures and videos of your home before anything major happens.
"The most important thing is to document what's there because like we talked about before, you live there, you see it every day, but it's hard to remember especially if you've lost everything, so taking the time to just walk through the house with your camera running on video, and getting a quick update of everything that's there is always a great way to start," said Susman.
Susman also recommends, don't plan to overpack. Get the essentials and plan to move out of the situation quickly.
"But just remember that everything that you need, everything that you truly need you probably can fit in one car," said Susman. "Don't be brave, don't be the one that stands on the roof with a hose, it's not going to help."
Another tip? If your home is destroyed, contact your county assessor's office. You may be able to zero out your property tax if your property is gone.
