Residents of the Hacienda and Rio Nido communities along the Russian River have a rare chance to test their wildfire escape plan before fire season accelerates — and county emergency managers want them to use it.
Key Takeaways
- A live evacuation exercise is scheduled for Saturday, April 25, from 9 a.m. to noon in the Hacienda and Rio Nido neighborhoods in west Sonoma County.
- Residents must register by Thursday, April 23 to participate and receive SoCoAlert notifications during the drill.
- The temporary evacuation point is Sunset Beach River Park, 11060 River Road in Forestville.
- A free resource fair will be held at the evacuation point with emergency-preparedness information and sign-up help.
- Multiple agencies are involved, including Cal Fire, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, and the American Red Cross.
Why these neighborhoods?
Hacienda and Rio Nido sit in a densely wooded stretch of the Russian River corridor — terrain that combines steep hillsides, limited-access roads, and seasonal fire-weather conditions that have prompted real evacuations in past years. The Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management, which is leading the exercise in partnership with Supervisor Lynda Hopkins’ office, chose these communities to give residents direct, hands-on practice before peak fire season arrives.
“Exercises like these help ensure everyone understands what to do in the event of a real emergency,” Hopkins said.
The exercise will test the county’s SoCoAlert mass-notification system, which sends text, voice, and email messages to registered subscribers. When the drill begins Saturday morning, participants will hear the familiar hi-lo siren and receive an alert on their phones — mirroring what would happen during an actual evacuation order. They will then drive the designated evacuation route to the assembly point at Sunset Beach River Park, where emergency workers will be stationed.
The drill comes as county officials continue to expand their emergency-preparedness footprint. A wildfire risk zone expansion that will add more than 3,000 Sonoma County parcels to state fire-hazard maps has raised urgency about local readiness, while this spring’s rainfall has offered some fire-season cushion — though forecasters warn the window is brief. County earthquake modeling has also shown how quickly a major disaster can overwhelm roads and evacuation routes, underlining the value of practicing before a crisis strikes.
What to expect on the day
After registering, participants do not need to do anything in advance beyond signing up. On April 25, between 9 a.m. and noon, they should be available to receive an alert and ready to drive to Sunset Beach River Park at 11060 River Road in Forestville. A resource fair will be staffed by agencies including the American Red Cross, offering guidance on evacuation plans and SoCoAlert registration. The exercise is free. The registration deadline is Thursday, April 23. To sign up, visit socoemergency.org or contact the Sonoma County Office of Emergency Services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to actually leave my home during the drill?
Yes, but only temporarily. Registered participants will drive their normal evacuation route to Sunset Beach River Park in Forestville, the designated temporary evacuation point for this exercise. The drill runs from 9 a.m. to noon, so participants should be back home before midday. Non-registered neighbors are welcome to observe, but only registered residents will receive the SoCoAlert notification that kicks off the exercise.
What if I haven’t signed up for SoCoAlert yet?
You can register at socoemergency.org before the April 23 deadline, or staff at the resource fair will help you sign up on-site. SoCoAlert is free and reaches residents by text, voice call, or email during any county emergency — not just wildfire drills. Officials strongly encourage all Sonoma County residents to enroll regardless of where they live.
Why practice an evacuation if I already have a plan?
Actually driving your evacuation route reveals bottlenecks and timing issues that planning on paper cannot. During the 2017 Tubbs Fire, residents in wooded, access-limited neighborhoods lost critical time because they had never actually driven the route they intended to use. County emergency managers say regular drills are the most reliable way to reduce that risk and build the muscle memory needed when seconds count.
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