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Evacuees sleep at a shelter in Porter Ranch | AP Photo / Hector Mata
Whether you're a homeowner or renter, after a fire destroys your property, you'll be working with insurance to start over again (that's assuming, you have insurance, probably a good idea if you live in Southern California). "Residents need to prepare for evacuation with a 'grab and go box' containing important insurance and financial documents, a room-by-room inventory and relevant receipts," tips the Daily News.
"Your home is the largest investment you have and the more accurate information you have about your possessions will help your insurance agent or company if your home is destroyed," Tully C. Lehman, a spokesman for the Insurance Information Network of California, told the paper. "Take pictures in every room. In the inventory, don't write, 'I have a stereo.' Write what kind of stereo. If you've remodeled a kitchen, make sure that you've updated your inventory."