Here’s what to do if you’re displaced — or could be — by Mariposa fire

If you’ve been displaced by the Detwiler Fire in Mariposa, get started on your insurance claim as soon as you can, insurance agents said Thursday.

The fire has spread to about 70,000 acres and destroyed more than 45 homes in Mariposa County as of Thursday afternoon, according to the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. About 1,500 dwellings are at risk to the blaze.

Along with filing an insurance claim, keep all of your expense receipts because they may be reimbursable, according to Sevag Sarkissian, a spokesman for State Farm Insurance.

For those who think they may need to leave their homes, according to a news release, make an inventory of your possessions, backup any vital information on your computer and talk to your insurance agent.

Around 5,000 people have been told to evacuate the area, fire officials have said.

State Farm also recommends making an evacuation plan and practicing it, and packing up any irreplaceable items while there’s time to do it.

“Don’t wait until emergency personnel orders an evacuation to create an emergency plan,” Sarkissian said in a news release.

The evacuation plan should include escape routes, places to meet and a collection of important phone numbers, according to AAA Northern California.

Plan ahead for places to put your pets, agents said.

This story has been corrected from an earlier version.

This story was originally published July 20, 2017 at 3:09 PM with the headline "Here’s what to do if you’re displaced — or could be — by Mariposa fire."