Storing Your Irreplaceables in Cameron Park


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November 10th, 2025


The Ultimate Wildfire Prep Checklist



Living here in Cameron Park, you understand the trade-off. We get to live nestled in the stunning beauty of El Dorado County, with its rolling hills and iconic oak woodlands. We can spend a weekend hiking the Cameron Park Hills Trail or appreciate the deep history at the Pleasant Grove House State Historic Landmark. We have a climate that gardeners love—that mild, wet winter and dry summer of our USDA Zone 9A.

But we also know what those dry summers mean.

Every year, as the grasses turn golden, that familiar anxiety creeps in. Wildfire season is a fact of life in our Mediterranean climate. We all have a "go-bag" plan. We clear our defensible space. We sign up for the alerts.

But what about the things you can't put in a go-bag?

I’m not talking about toothpaste and a change of clothes. I’m talking about the photo albums that are the only record of your grandparents. The box of home movies. Your kids’ original birth certificates, your passports, the deed to your house. What about the family heirlooms, the expensive tools, or the art collection that means the world to you?

In a sudden evacuation, you can’t—and shouldn’t—spend precious minutes trying to gather these things. This is where your preparedness plan needs a second, vital layer: an off-site, secure home for your irreplaceables.

The "Peace of Mind" Box: What to Store

Think of this as your family’s physical backup. Your goal is to pre-pack the items that would cause the most heartbreak if lost. This isn't just about monetary value; it's about what is truly irreplaceable.Your checklist should include:
  • Critical Documents:Birth certificates, social security cards, passports. Property deeds, vehicle titles, and insurance policies (home, auto, life). Hard copies of wills and trusts. Physical stock certificates or bonds. A complete, printed list of emergency contacts, bank accounts, and passwords.
  • Irreplaceable Memories:Old photo albums, negatives, and slides. External hard drives or USBs containing your digital photo library (the one you keep meaning to back up to the cloud). Home movies (VHS, 8mm, etc.). Letters, journals, and family records.
  • High-Value / Sentimental Items:Family jewelry or inherited watches. Small, valuable collectibles (stamps, coins, etc.). Family heirlooms that can be boxed.

The Seasonal Storage Strategy

Here’s a practical tip for us in the 95682: combine your wildfire prep with your regular seasonal storage.

When you’re packing away your heavy winter coats and holiday decorations, that is the perfect time to also pack and store your "irreplaceables" box. By making it part of your seasonal routine, it becomes a simple, manageable task instead of a daunting pre-fire-season project. A small, secure self-storage unit can easily hold your seasonal gear and your critical preparedness boxes.

Choosing Your Local Safe Haven

The key is to have these items stored away from your home, in a secure location that you can still access. For us in Cameron Park, this means looking for a local, reliable facility.

A perfect example is Foothill Mini Storage, located right here at 3445 Coach Ln. When you're storing irreplaceable items, you need to consider your options, and they have the two main types to weigh:
  1. Exterior or Interior Self-Storage Options: This is a critical choice. An Exterior Drive Up Unit is incredibly convenient for loading and unloading heavy seasonal bins or furniture. You can pull your car right up.
  2. For sensitive items like old photos, documents, and electronics, an Interior Hallway Unit is often the better choice. These units, which Foothill Mini Storage also offers, are buffered from the direct summer heat and dust, offering a more stable environment.
Beyond the type of self-storage unit, look for key security features. You're not just storing "stuff"; you're storing peace of mind. A secure facility will have features like fencing and gating, security cameras, and even individual alarms on the units themselves. This ensures that your belongings are protected not just from fire, but from all risks. Finally, check the access hours. A good facility (like Foothill's 6:00 am to 8:00 pm, 7-day-a-week access) gives you the flexibility to get to your items when you need to.

This summer, when you’re enjoying a beautiful evening, perhaps driving past the historic Red Coach Inn, the last thing you want to be doing is worrying "what if."

Wildfire preparedness is about controlling what you can, so you can worry less and live more. Getting your irreplaceables documented, packed, and stored in a secure, off-site location is one of the most powerful steps you can take. It’s a simple action that buys you an immeasurable amount of peace. Start your checklist today, and rest a little easier this fire season.

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