How to Drive Through a Fire

The wildfires in California saw many people flee their homes, driving along as the inferno raged around them. 

The terrifying videos have left many wondering what to do if you have to drive through a fire.

Inside Edition spoke to Assistant Chief Mike Uttaro of the Nassau County Fire Marshall's Office on New York's Long Island. 

"Don’t stick around until it is too late," he urged. "Fires double and triple in size rapidly and the fires they are experiencing on the West Coast are ferocious."

There are some items you can keep in your car to help as well.

Make sure to have bottled water, a fire extinguisher, and a wool or fireproof blanket in your truck, so you can cover yourself if the flames sweep over you. 

If you have no choice but to drive through the fire, make sure the air conditioning and heat are off so the outside air does not come into your car.

"You want to keep yourself moving, the key is to get past that danger and get to an area of safety," Uttaro said. "As a fire grows and you feel like it may pass over you, you want to take actions within your vehicle to protect yourself."

Finally, Uttaro noted that it's especially important to make sure your gas tank is full. Several victims in the California fires perished because their cars ran out of gas, according to authorities.

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