Once a wildfire ignites, its embers can rapidly jump from vegetation to homes, which can prompt local officials to issue evacuation warnings. If the situation escalates, officials may issue an evacuation order, meaning you have to leave your home immediately.

Wildfires can spread up to 14.27 miles per hour, according to the Western Fire Chiefs Assn., so you should not expect to have time to think about what you need to gather.

In some cases, an evacuation order can come without any warning or via a channel you do not expect, like a public address system or a law enforcement vehicle driving down the block.

It’s always difficult to predict how much or how little time you might have to gather your things and run out the door to safety. That’s why it is so important to prepare in advance. Your assignment this weekend is to prepare for evacuation warnings and orders.

Wildfires are fast-moving and it’s crucial you be too The best way to prepare for a possible evacuation is to have a plan that includes escape routes, a meeting point, animal care arrangements and a communication strategy.

You can write or type this plan up and pin a printed copy to your refrigerator or a central place in your home that’s easily accessible. It’s also important to know where your electric, gas and water main shut-off controls are and how to turn them off — a task you can do if it doesn’t take up too much time or hinder your safe evacuation.

Experts advise you listen to local officials and follow the instructions of emergency alerts that are sent to your smartphone and/or broadcast on TV or the radio. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services website allows you to find your county and learn more about what alerts you can sign up for locally.

All 58 counties use the same statewide evacuation terminology, which includes: shelter-in-place, evacuation warning and evacuation order.

Other wildfire-prone states may not have all three evacuation categories, but officials nationwide urge residents to follow emergency officials’ guidance and sign up for local alert systems.

Shelter-in-place means stay inside your home with the doors and windows locked. During this order you need to prepare to self-sustain until further notice or until contacted by emergency personnel for additional direction.

Evacuation warning means there’s a potential threat to life and property. Those who require additional time to evacuate and those with pets and livestock should leave now. Everybody else should be prepared to leave.

Evacuation order means there’s an immediate threat to life and you’re lawfully ordered to leave now. The evacuated area is now closed to public access.

As you watch for emergency alerts, you can use online resources to track the wildfire’s behavior, such as whether it’s active, acreage burned and the percentage of containment.

Resources you can tap into are:

Once you receive an evacuation warning, you should make plans to leave as soon as possible, even if you aren’t mandated to, experts advise.

Waiting until the last minute can lead to gridlock on the road for you and obstruct first responders trying to get to the active fire zone.

When you receive a shelter-in-place or evacuation warning, you should start preparing a “go-bag,” if you don’t already have one. This is a bag that carries important documents, extra medicine and other essentials and that’s easily accessible if you need to urgently run out the door.

These types of emergency situations often happen unexpectedly, leaving little time to grab essential and valuable items from your home.

If you are evacuating your home or preparing for the possibility, here are a few things you should pack in your go-bag (a sturdy backpack or bag).

What goes into the go-bag:

Your go-bag also should include the following items:

• A blanket or sleeping bag
• Comfort items and things to pass the time, such as stuffed animals, board games and books

In smaller or solo households, it might make sense to keep everything in one bag; for bigger families, these things might go into individual go-bags.

On top of what’s in your go-bag, make sure to pack what Cal Fire officials call the “6 P’s of Evacuation”. The 6 P’s are organized by what you should grab first as you make your way out the door:

Your plan of action might include a door neighbor who needs extra help evacuating from their home, so help them prepare for the worst-case scenario by sharing this go-bag checklist with them.

Look for the next installment of In Case of Fire, the L.A. Times’ newsletter guide to wildfire readiness and resilience, in your inbox. You’ve got your second preparedness assignment; the next will be what you should know about the residence you left behind if the worst-case scenario happens.