Preparing for Wildfires
Take steps now to prepareexternal icon for wildfires. More and more people make their homes in areas that are prone to wildfires. You can take steps to be readyexternal icon for a wildfire and prepare your home and landscapingexternal icon to reduce your risk from a wildfire.
Know your community’s evacuation plans.
- Find several ways to leave your area.
- Drive the evacuation routes and find shelter locations.
- Have a plan for petsexternal icon and livestockexternal icon.
Gather emergency supplies, such as respiratorspdf iconexternal icon [PDF-329 KB].
- A respirator filters out smoke or ash before you can breathe it in. Respirators are not made to fit children.
- Remember the needs of childrenexternal icon, pregnant women, and individuals with medical conditions like asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), or heart disease.
View a full-sized imagepdf icon [PDF – 345 KB] of the Be Ready: Wildfires Infographic. Share it on social media or print it out to post in your office, school, or home.
Plan to keep wildfire smoke outside.
- Choose a roomexternal icon you can close off from outside air.
- Set up a portable air cleaner or a filterexternal icon to keep the air in this room cleaner even when it’s smoky outdoors or in the rest of your home.
- Make a plan to keep wildfire smoke out of schools or commercial buildingsexternal icon.
Keep track of fires near you so you can be ready.
- AirNow’s “Fires: Current Conditions pageexternal icon” has a map of fires throughout North America.
- NOAA’s “Fire weather outlookexternal icon” page maps fire watches and warnings.
- Listen to the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio for emergency alerts.
Page last reviewed: March 2, 2022