Have a plan for pets in case wildfire hits near home

This column is about a simple but crucial topic: how to keep your animals safe in case a wildfire threatens. I’m writing this on a beautiful and cool morning, and at the same time, we are in extreme drought conditions. To the north of Santa Fe, the drought conditions are called “exceptional,” which is as high as the scale goes.

If that isn’t enough, Santa Fe County has some of the most dangerous wildfire-urban interface (firefighter speak for homes in wilderness areas) in the country. The combination of terrain, fuel loads — types of burnable vegetation, mostly grass, piñón and juniper — weather conditions and hundreds of homes in vulnerable areas are a volatile combination.

The other problem is that as Santa Feans, we have watched from a distance as big fires burned in years past in the Jemez National Forest and north in the Santa Fe National Forest. We have not had the experience (like Los Alamos or Colorado Springs, Colo., or California) of a big fire at our doorstep or burning into residential areas. But it could be our turn next. If this makes you a little nervous, welcome to the world of Santa Fe firefighters, who wake up every morning, check the weather and the sky, and hope that today won’t be the day we get the “big one” that burns thousands of acres.

In one of my other vocations, (I live in Santa Fe, so, like most everyone else, I juggle at least four vocations) I am a volunteer firefighter with Hondo Volunteer Fire Department. Hondo sits southeast of town. One of our duties is inspecting homes to help homeowners figure out the best strategies for reducing the chances of a wildfire burning down their house. But one of the often-asked questions is, what to do with our pets? Here are my top tips:

Have a plan. It is important to not wait until there is a fire. A plan should include where you will take your animals. Dogs and cats can go to friends out of the fire zone, or to “doggie day care.” A note: Make sure that your dogs and cats are comfortable getting into a car so that you can do it quickly. If you have other pets such as lizards, birds and snakes, make sure you also have a plan for them. Think about it this way: Imagine that your house might burn or that you might not get back to your residence for several days. How would that influence your planning?

Be prepared to leave early. We don’t know how big or bad a fire could get or how fast it could spread. If you see or smell smoke or see fire, or a column of smoke wider than a mile in the distance, don’t wait for officials to tell you to leave. Leave early. Have at least two evacuation routes. Have a charged cellphone. It’s a good idea if you live in a vulnerable area to keep your vehicle full of fuel.

Coordinate with neighbors. If you work and there is a fire that starts during the day, you might not be able to get back to your home to get your pets.

Never tie pets up! Never let them run free thinking they will figure out what to do. In a wildfire, they will be just as terrified and confused as you are.

Especially if you live in a vulnerable area, consider having an emergency preparedness kit for your pet, including supplies (and water) for up to two weeks, collars and tags with proof of vaccinations.

A note about smoke. Often, we don’t get a fire, but we get the smoke from distance fires. Pets are affected by smoke the same way people are. If pets are young and healthy, they can tolerate smoke for a few hours. But if they are older or sick, smoke can exacerbate illnesses. Just like people, consider keeping pets indoors with windows shut if it’s smoky outside.

Finally, worrying about stuff like this is built into the DNA of firefighters. And we want nothing more than to be wrong about the big one being out there. But most importantly, we want you and your pets to be safe.