Go Bag Checklist
Many wildfires give little or no warning — an evacuation order can come in minutes. Pack it once, store it in your car. When the order comes, you grab it and go — nothing to think about.
In fast-moving fires like the 2018 Camp Fire, some residents had only about 10–15 minutes of warning. A pre-packed go bag is the only prep that works under pressure.
The go bag rule
One bag per person, fits in your car’s trunk, accessible in 30 seconds. A shared household bag is better than nothing, but when families separate during evacuations — which happens — each person needs their own documents and medications. Refresh your bag once a year: check expiration dates on food and medications every May before fire season starts. Keep a second copy of every critical document in the cloud so you can access them from any device, even if you lose the bag.
Your packing progress
0 of 44 items packed
Documents & IDs
0/10These cannot be replaced quickly. Losing them in a disaster creates months of bureaucratic delays on top of everything else.
Medications & Health
0/6Wildfire smoke is hazardous. NIOSH-approved N95 respirators are the minimum protection for the air you may breathe during and after a fire.
Cash & Cards
0/3ATMs and card terminals can fail during mass evacuations. Cash is the most reliable payment method in the first 24–48 hours.
Electronics & Communication
0/5Cell towers can overload during mass evacuations. A battery or hand-crank NOAA weather radio gives you official emergency updates even when your phone has no signal.
Clothing & Shelter
0/5Assume you may not have a hotel for the first night. Emergency mylar blankets are light, cheap, and take up almost no space.
Food & Water
0/4Ready.gov recommends one gallon of water per person per day and at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food. A portable water filter can supplement stored water and cut weight if needed.
For pets
0/7Shelters and hotels often have restrictions on pets. A recent photo of you with your pet is your proof of ownership if you and your pet are separated.
Vehicle readiness
0/4Gas stations can run low on fuel within hours of a mass evacuation order. Keep your tank topped up during fire season.
Your progress is saved only in this browser, on this device — nothing is uploaded. Item lists are based on Ready.gov and CAL FIRE / Ready for Wildfire emergency-kit guidance.
Tip: Photograph every document on this list and upload it to a secure cloud folder (Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox). You can access them from any device after an evacuation — even if the physical copies are lost.
Store it right
- Store in a cool, accessible location — your car trunk or garage near the exit. Not your attic, not under a bed.
- Check annually in May, before fire season. Expiration dates on food and medications are real.
- Replace food and water every 12 months even if they haven’t expired — heat in a car trunk accelerates spoilage.
- Update documents whenever they change — new insurance policy, new ID, new prescription.
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Go bag FAQ
What is a go bag?
A go bag (also called a bug-out bag or 72-hour kit) is a pre-packed bag or container that holds everything you need to survive the first 72 hours after an emergency evacuation. For wildfire preparedness, it means you can leave immediately when an order is issued without having to think about what to grab. Everything critical is already packed, in your car or near your exit.
How heavy should a go bag be?
A practical go bag should be light enough that every person in your household can carry their own — typically 20–35 lbs for an adult. If you’re storing it in your car trunk rather than carrying it on foot, weight matters less. Prioritize documents, medications, and critical electronics first. Food and water add the most weight; a portable water filter can replace several gallons of stored water if weight is a constraint.
Can I share a go bag with my family?
One shared bag per household is better than no bag, but one bag per person is the right target. In an emergency you may get separated, or one person may need to leave before others. Each person’s bag should at minimum include their own ID, medications, and a phone charger. You can consolidate heavy shared items like food and a water filter into one bag if needed.
What’s the difference between a go bag and a bug-out bag?
The terms are used interchangeably in most contexts. "Go bag" typically refers to a bag prepared for short-term emergency evacuation — 72 hours to a week — to a nearby shelter or hotel. "Bug-out bag" comes from survivalist culture and sometimes implies longer-term self-sufficiency in a remote location. For wildfire evacuation purposes, they mean the same thing: a pre-packed bag you can grab and leave with immediately.