Wildfire preparedness & evacuation
The homeowners who come through a wildfire best are the ones who prepared before the smoke. Here’s how to ready your home, build a go-bag and an evacuation plan, and know exactly what to do when an order comes.
Know your evacuation levels: Ready, Set, Go
Many Western states use a three-tier system. Terminology varies — always follow your local authority’s exact wording.
Level 1
Be aware. A fire is in your area. Harden your home, review your plan, pack your go-bag, and stay tuned to alerts. Vulnerable residents should consider leaving early.
Level 2
Be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice. Significant danger. Load vehicles, keep them facing out, and relocate now if you need extra time, have animals, or have mobility needs.
Level 3
Leave immediately. Do not delay to gather belongings or protect your home. Follow your evacuation route; if you choose to stay you may not be rescued and emergency services may be unavailable.
Before fire season: four things to do now
Harden your home & clear defensible space
A Class-A roof, ember-resistant vents, and a noncombustible 5 ft Zone 0 are the highest-impact things you can do before a fire ever starts.
Defensible space guide →Sign up for local emergency alerts
Register for your county’s warning system and follow Watch Duty. Don’t rely on hearing sirens — many fast fires give little or no warning.
Check the live fire map →Document your belongings for insurance
Photograph or video every room and keep the file off-site. A home inventory is what gets your claim paid fully after a loss — and reveals if you’re underinsured.
How fire claims work →Stage your emergency kit & go-bag
Keep a packed kit and the “6 P’s” ready by the door during fire season so you can leave in minutes, not hours.
Emergency kit picks →Your go-bag: the “6 P’s”
When you have only minutes, grab these. Stage them by the door during fire season.
People & pets
Everyone in the household, plus pets and livestock — plan carriers, leashes, and large-animal transport in advance.
Papers
IDs, passports, deeds, insurance policies, and important documents — ideally in a grab-and-go fireproof folder or safe.
Prescriptions
Medications, eyeglasses, and medical equipment, plus a list of dosages.
Pictures
Irreplaceable photos and keepsakes; back up digital copies to the cloud now.
Personal computer
Laptop, hard drives, and chargers — or at least a backup of critical files.
Plastic & cash
Credit cards and cash; ATMs and card readers may be down during an evacuation.
Plus the basics: 3+ days of water and food, flashlights and batteries, a battery/hand-crank radio, N95 masks, a first-aid kit, a power bank or portable power station, sturdy shoes and gloves, and a fireproof document safe for what stays home.
Build your evacuation plan
- Map at least two evacuation routes out of your neighborhood — fires and crashes close roads.
- Pick an out-of-area meeting point and an out-of-state contact everyone can text.
- Plan for pets and large animals in advance — carriers, trailers, and where they’ll go.
- Keep vehicles fueled and backed in during fire season so you can leave fast.
- Practice it once with the whole household so no one freezes when it’s real.
When an order comes, check the live wildfire map and your local authority for the fire’s location and road closures — but never wait on a map to leave once you’re told to go.
Preventing wildfires in the first place
Most wildfires are human-caused, so most are preventable: drown campfires until cold, don’t park hot vehicles or use spark-throwing equipment in dry grass, follow burn bans and Red Flag Warnings, secure trailer chains, and skip fireworks in fire-prone areas. Learn more about what causes wildfires and how they spread.
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Wildfire preparedness FAQ
How do I prepare for a wildfire?
Prepare in three layers: harden your home and clear defensible space before fire season; sign up for local emergency alerts and keep a packed go-bag and emergency kit ready; and build a written evacuation plan with routes, a meeting point, and a communication plan. Document your belongings for insurance, back up important papers and photos, and know your area’s evacuation levels so you act fast when an order comes.
What are the wildfire evacuation levels (Ready, Set, Go)?
Many Western states use a three-tier system. Level 1 “Ready” means be aware a fire is in your area and prepare to leave. Level 2 “Set” means be ready to go at a moment’s notice and leave now if you need extra time. Level 3 “Go” means leave immediately — do not delay to gather belongings. Terminology varies by area, so follow your local authority’s exact wording.
What should be in a wildfire emergency kit / go-bag?
Start with the “6 P’s”: people and pets, papers and documents, prescriptions, pictures and irreplaceables, personal computer, and plastic and cash. Add at least three days of water and non-perishable food, flashlights and batteries, a battery or hand-crank radio, N95 masks, a first-aid kit, phone chargers/power bank, sturdy shoes and gloves, and copies of your insurance policy.
When should I evacuate during a wildfire?
Leave as soon as you’re told to — or earlier if you feel unsafe, have animals, mobility needs, or simply want margin. Wildfires move faster than people expect, especially in wind, and roads clog quickly. If you’re at Level 2 “Set,” strongly consider leaving; at Level 3 “Go,” leave immediately and follow your route. Never assume you’ll be able to defend your home.
How can wildfires be prevented?
Since most wildfires are human-caused, most are preventable: fully drown campfires until cold, don’t park hot vehicles or run spark-throwing equipment in dry grass, follow burn bans and Red Flag Warnings, secure trailer chains, and avoid fireworks in fire-prone areas. As a homeowner, defensible space and home hardening reduce the chance your property ignites and spreads fire to others.
FireRisk.ai is for awareness and planning, not emergency guidance. Evacuation levels and procedures vary by jurisdiction — always follow your local fire authority and emergency officials, and call 911 in an emergency.
Know your home’s wildfire risk — before the next fire
Get your free 0–100 wildfire risk score, every fire recorded nearby, what it means for your insurance, and the steps that lower it — built on official federal data.
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