RVs and trailers need extra lead time during evacuation
A Class A motorhome, a fifth wheel, a travel trailer or a livestock trailer all take longer to ready for departure than a passenger vehicle, and they...
A Class A motorhome, a fifth wheel, a travel trailer or a livestock trailer all take longer to ready for departure than a passenger vehicle, and they all add risk to driving in smoke. PreparedBC and Alberta — and Ready.gov in the US — recommend that RV owners build evacuation lead-time into their plans — count on at least an hour between an order being issued and being able to safely move. Practice hitching the trailer in daylight before fire season, with all tow lights, brakes and safety chains tested. Inside an RV, secure loose items, close roof vents, retract awnings and slides, and turn off propane at the tank before you move. RVs handle worse than cars in heavy smoke, take longer to stop, and are vulnerable to wind. Pull into bare cleared ground rather than treed shoulders if you must stop. If your RV runs on propane, leak alarms should be installed at floor level because propane pools low. During fire season, do not store an RV in the driveway with the propane connected if you are not using it — disconnect tanks and store them outdoors, away from the house.
A travel trailer takes roughly an hour longer to prep for evacuation than a car, which is why RV owners need to leave on alert, not on order.
Source: Alberta — Wildfire Preparedness
Last reviewed 2026-05-02.
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