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DIY Tips to Safeguard Your Valuables During the 2025 Palisades Fire Evacuation

As the Palisades Fire continues to impact our community in unprecedented ways, many families face the challenge of evacuating quickly while protecting their most valuable belongings. Here are practical, localized tips to help safeguard your irreplaceable items during this difficult time:

1. Pack a Go-Bag with Essentials

In areas like Pacific Palisades, where evacuation orders can be sudden, a go-bag is your lifeline.

Include critical documents like property deeds, insurance policies, and identification.

Add small valuables like family heirlooms, cash, and backup drives with important digital files.

Keep your go-bag near the door or in your vehicle for easy access, especially if you’re in high-risk neighborhoods near the Santa Monica Mountains.

2.Use Fireproof and Waterproof Storage

For residents unable to evacuate everything, consider investing in fireproof and waterproof safes to store irreplaceable items.

Place safes in less exposed areas, like closets away from windows or interior spaces.

If you live in the canyon areas of the Palisades, where firefighting access can be limited, this extra precaution can make a difference.

3. Back Up Family Memories

Pacific Palisades is home to countless priceless family mementos, from old photos to artwork.

Digitize these items now by scanning photographs and uploading them to cloud storage.

Use external drives as a backup and include them in your evacuation kit.

4. Document Your Home’s Contents

Take photos or videos of your home, focusing on high-value items like electronics, jewelry, and furniture.

Walk through your home with your smartphone, narrating each item’s value and condition.

Store this documentation on cloud services or share it with a trusted friend in another area, especially given the widespread impact of the Palisades Fire.

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5. Relocate Valuables Early

For those in mandatory evacuation zones near Topanga Canyon or Sunset Boulevard, consider moving valuable items to a safer location now.

Use a bank safe deposit box or store items with a trusted friend in an unaffected area of Los Angeles.


6. Protect What You Leave Behind

If you must leave larger valuables or furniture, take small steps to shield them from damage:

Cover items with fire-resistant blankets or tarps to minimize exposure to heat or embers.

Elevate items in areas prone to flooding from firefighting efforts, particularly if your property is downhill or in a canyon.


7. Secure Your Home Before Evacuating

Local winds in the Palisades often carry embers great distances, igniting homes far from the fire line.

Shut all windows and doors to reduce ember entry points.

Remove flammable items like patio furniture, propane tanks, and outdoor cushions from around your home.

If you have time, clear gutters and yards of dry leaves or debris.


8. Stay Connected and Communicate

During the Palisades Fire, cell service and communication lines may become overwhelmed.

Inform a trusted contact outside the evacuation zone of what you’ve safeguarded and where you’re headed.

Stay updated with real-time alerts from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) and local news outlets.


Helpful Local Resources for Evacuees:

LAFD Wildfire Updates: LAFD Alerts

American Red Cross Los Angeles: Emergency Services

Ready LA County: Evacuation Plans


By acting quickly and following these localized tips, residents of Pacific Palisades and nearby areas can protect their belongings while focusing on what matters most—the safety of their families and neighbors. Together, we can overcome this devastating fire and rebuild stronger.

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