If you receive an evacuation warning, don't wait to pack your "go-bag" and make sure to remember your essential items. Fire has broken out in large swaths of Los Angeles County since Tuesday morning, prompting the evacuation of tens of thousands of people in the Pacific Palisades, Altadena and Pasadena communities. More than 1,100 homes, businesses and other buildings have burned and at least two people are dead in wildfires burning across L.A. County, making this one of the most destructive firestorms to hit the region in memory. Firefighters have been fighting three blazes, starting with the Palisades fire that's burned through more than 11,000 acres as of Wednesday morning. In the hills above Altadena, the Eaton fire started on the same day and has charred more than 10,000 acres.

When mandatory evacuation orders come, it's time to hit the road. Typically, you'll have some advance notice from authorities that an evacuation is possible. At the first sign that you might have to evacuate, get your things ready. "The earlier people leave, the better off they are," said Jessica Kellogg, an emergency management coordinator with the city of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department. Leaving quickly once you're ordered to evacuate means you have more time to get to safety, she said, and it helps firefighters keep roads clear of congestion.