The Fire Shelter Is a Last Resort, Never a Plan
A fire shelter is an aluminum tent that reflects heat. It's a last resort if you're trapped with no way out. Never a plan. Here's how it's used.
People sometimes ask me whether they should buy a fire shelter and count on it if a wildfire reaches them. My answer is always the same: a fire shelter is a last resort, never a plan. The plan is to leave early.
What a Fire Shelter Is
A fire shelter is a folded aluminum tent that reflects radiant heat. Wildland firefighters carry them as a last line of protection if they're trapped and overrun with no escape route. It's built to buy time while a fire front passes. It is not fireproof, and it won't save you if you deploy it in the wrong place.
If You Ever Have to Use One
- Pick a clear, open spot, away from trees and anything that can burn. Bare ground, a road, or a burned-out area is best.
- Never deploy it in the trees or in heavy brush.
- Get in and lie face down with your feet toward the fire.
- Hold it down with your hands and feet. Wind from the fire will try to pull it away.
- Stay in it until the fire passes. It will get hot and loud. Keep your face to the ground.
What You Need to Know
- Leave early. When there's an evacuation warning or order, go. That's the real plan.
- A shelter only helps if you've practiced with it. If you carry one, learn how it unfolds before you ever need it.
- If you're trapped in a car, the car is usually safer than getting out. See my post on what to do if you're trapped in your car.
- This is general safety information, not a substitute for instructions from your local fire department.
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.