How to Find Fire Maps

For the most part, residents of California know what to do when large wildfires are raging in their communities. Plan for an evacuation, watch the news, and get out when you are told to do so. But, there has been some confusion in the past on what to do and where to go. Here are some things that you can do to locate fire lines and fire maps when you need more information. Fire maps can be difficult to find because there are so many websites that rebroadcast the fire maps that are posted at other sites. That means the fire map you are looking at may be outdated.

Local Fire Information: Reverse 911

Residents of the city of San Diego were fortunate during the last round of California wildfires, in which thousands of people were called upon to evacuate. The city had implemented a reverse-911 system, which called people in waves as the fires approached their homes and told them to evacuate. There were glitches, but it worked. The county later adopted the system and added a feature so that people with cell phones could register for the service. If your area has a reverse-911 system, make sure that you are signed up. It will notify you when you need to evacuate due to wildfire. Of course, you should always evacuate if you are in danger.

How to Locate Fire Maps and Fire Lines: Local News

While some fires make national headlines, it is the local news that will cover the wildfire story, almost twenty-four hours a day if necessary. They will update the public on mandatory and voluntary fire evacuations, and sometimes even cover the fire lines block by block. Local news coverage of wildfires can help you locate shelters and emergency aide as well, including pet rescue, large animal rescue, and other help.

How to Locate Fire Maps and Fire Lines: Cal Fire

Cal Fire, at www.fire.ca.gov posts a daily fire map, with incidents that are new, new and active, contained, and resource benefit wildfires. This map shows the location of the wildfire, the percent of containment, the number of acres burned, and the number of structures that are threatened or have been destroyed. The Cal Fire blog has information on evacuation shelters, and what kinds of donations are needed by the public. More details on the wildfires can be seen at the web page on current fire information. This is at http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents . Cal Fire often links more detailed information under the "Administrative Unit" section that you will find on this page. Find the fire you are interested in, and click on the link to the administrative unit. This opens a new window, the Incident Information System.

How to Locate Fire Maps and Fire Lines: InciWeb

InciWeb is the abbreviation for the Incident Information System. Check the date and time to see how current the wildfire information is. The site has a fire map that shows fire lines and road closures. It gives a detailed account of the resources that are being used to fight the fire. It also has phone numbers for people to contact if they need to. The website address is http://inciweb.org/incident .

If you are in a wildfire situation, finding fire maps and images of the fire lines can keep you informed. Do not rely on this information, however. Please evacuate when you are told to do so. Do not wait for an evacuation order if you feel you are in danger. Just leave the area and follow up later to see if it is safe to return. Websites and phone lines get overloaded when there are large regional wildfires.