Saddles and Spur Ridges: Two More Places Never to Stop During a Wildfire Evacuation
A saddle funnels wind and fire. A spur ridge is exposed on three sides. Retired LAFD Fire Marshal Mark Nelson explains why you never stop on either one.
In my last post I shared retired LAFD Fire Marshal Mark Nelson's advice about never stopping in a chimney on a mountain road. He gave me two more places to avoid, and if you live in the hills, you drive past both of them every day without thinking about it.
The Saddle
A saddle is the low dip in a ridge between two high points. It looks like a pass, and roads often run right through it. Wind squeezes through that low spot, and fire follows the wind. During a wildfire, a saddle can act like a funnel, pushing heat and embers right through the place where your car is sitting.
The Spur Ridge
A spur ridge is the point of land that juts out from the side of the mountain. The road often wraps around the tip of it. Because it sticks out, it's exposed to fire from three sides at once. It can feel like a lookout, but during a fire it's one of the most exposed spots on the hill.
What to Do Instead
- Keep moving past saddles and spur ridges when traffic allows.
- Look for a wide, cleared spot with no brush around you if you have to stop.
- Stay away from gullies and chimneys too. They're just as dangerous.
- Leave early so you're not stuck in traffic on the hill at all.
What You Need to Know
- Learn the terrain on your route on a calm day. Notice where the saddles, spur ridges, and wide, cleared turnouts are.
- Follow evacuation orders and the directions of fire and law enforcement on the road.
- This is general safety information, not a substitute for instructions from your local fire department.
Thank you to retired LAFD Fire Marshal Mark Nelson for sharing this wisdom. It's insanity not to be prepared.
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Sherwin Ross is the founder of Ace Fire Defense, based in West Hills, CA. After the 2018 Woolsey Fire, he became CERT-trained and started building wildfire defense equipment for homeowners.