Wildfire Preparedness Guide

Plan for wildfire season: evacuation triggers, go-bag essentials, defensible space, and what to do when smoke arrives.

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Wildfire preparedness essentials

Before the fire season

Create a defensible space of at least 30 feet around your home by clearing dry brush, dead leaves, and flammable yard debris. Move firewood, propane tanks, and patio furniture well away from exterior walls. Store an N95 or P100 mask per household member to filter smoke particles, and keep a printed evacuation map showing at least two routes out of your neighbourhood; primary roads close quickly during fast-moving fires.

When evacuation is ordered

Sign up for your county's emergency-alert system so warnings reach you even if cell service is degraded. The moment a warning is issued, shut all windows and doors, leave interior lights on so firefighters can see your home through smoke, place a ladder outside for roof access, and load your go-bag, pets, prescription medication, and copies of important documents into the car. Leave before the order escalates to mandatory.

Returning home

Do not return until officials declare the area safe; downed power lines, hot spots, and damaged gas lines remain dangerous for days. Photograph any damage for insurance before cleanup, run interior HVAC on recirculation only until air quality recovers, and replace any food exposed to extended heat or smoke.

About the EmergencyKit.app checklist

How we built it

EmergencyKit.app combines the official emergency-kit recommendations published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Red Cross, USA.gov's Ready.gov campaign, and the German Federal Office of Civil Protection (BBK) and Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB). Each item on the checklist is tagged with the organisations that recommend it so you can see at a glance how well-supported it is.

The 20% body-weight rule

A go-bag should weigh no more than roughly 20% of the carrier's body weight. Above that threshold, evacuating on foot becomes painful, slow, and risky for older or smaller adults and for children. The weight checker on the homepage estimates your kit's total weight from the items you select and warns you when you cross the limit, so you can swap heavier items for lighter alternatives before you actually need to leave.

Three days, then more

The baseline kit covers a 72-hour window because that is how long it typically takes public services to restore basic supplies after a major disaster. Households in high-risk regions for hurricanes, wildfires, or earthquakes should plan for at least two weeks of food, water, and prescription medication on top of the baseline kit.