The frequency, size, and intensity of wildfires in California have
increased substantially in recent years, leading to widespread mandatory
evacuations affecting millions of residents. However, because evacuation
orders are implemented by local agencies, there is limited quantitative
evidence on the scope of evacuations statewide. In order to improve the
understanding of wildfire evacuations, we assembled information on
historical evacuation orders for two distinct wildfire-prone regions ---
Fresno and Sonoma county --- in California. This data was used to
understand how the frequency and extent of evacuations have changed over
time. We then combined this information with census data to characterize
which populations have been most affected by evacuation orders.
Ultimately, our work aims to quantify this important element of wildfire
impacts in key regions around California. Collectively, it provides a
starting point for a public database of evacuation orders that could be
used by researchers and policymakers to better understand dynamics and
improve decision-making around wildfire evacuations.