How to prepare for a wildfire, in short: make your home harder to ignite before fire season, pack a go bag for every person, plan two ways out of your neighborhood, and sign up for local alerts. When a warning comes, leave early. Most wildfire deaths and close calls happen to people who waited too long or got caught on a smoke-filled road. This guide follows the order things happen: the season before, red-flag days, the evacuation warning, the order to leave, and the return home.
Before Fire Season: Harden Your Home
Most homes lost to wildfire don't burn because the wall of flame reaches them. They burn because wind-blown embers land somewhere flammable, sometimes a mile or more ahead of the fire. Your job is to remove those landing spots. Fire agencies describe the area around a home in zones:
| Zone | Distance from the house | What to do |
| Immediate | 0–5 feet | Nothing that burns: swap bark mulch for gravel, move firewood, propane tanks and patio furniture away, clear gutters, roof and under decks. |
| Intermediate | 5–30 feet | Keep grass short and watered, space out shrubs, trim tree branches well clear of the roof and off the ground. |
| Extended | 30–100 feet | Thin dense brush and remove dead plants and fallen branches so a fire on the ground stays low and slow. |
Then work on the house itself:
- Vents: cover attic, eave and crawl-space vents with fine metal mesh (1/8 inch is the common recommendation) to keep embers out.
- Roof and gutters: a Class A fire-rated roof is the biggest single upgrade. Keep gutters free of leaves and needles.
- Windows and doors: dual-pane windows hold up to heat far better than single-pane. Seal gaps around garage doors.
- Fences and decks: a wooden fence attached to the house works like a fuse. Replace the last few feet with metal.
- Water and hoses: keep hoses long enough to reach every side of the house. Water pressure often drops during a fire, so don't count on it.
Many fire departments and state forestry agencies will do a free home assessment and point out the weak spots specific to your property.
Before Fire Season: Plan and Pack
Sign up for alerts
Register for your county's emergency alert system, turn on wireless emergency alerts on every phone, and know how your area announces evacuation zones. Write your zone name down. Orders are usually issued by zone, and you won't want to look it up in a hurry.
Plan two ways out
Drive both routes before fire season. Fire, smoke and traffic can close the obvious road. Agree on a meeting place outside the area and an out-of-state contact everyone can call or text, because local networks get overloaded.
Pack a go bag for each person
Pack it now, not when the warning comes. Keep it by the door or in the car through fire season.
- Smoke protection: NIOSH-approved N95 or P100 respirators for every person. Cloth and surgical masks don't filter fine smoke particles. Add sealed goggles, such as the Bollé Bedrock, to keep ash and smoke out of your eyes.
- Water and food: at least a gallon of water per person and three days of no-cook food.
- Light and power: a headlamp, a charged power bank and charging cables. For longer displacement, a portable power station such as the EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus keeps phones and lights running.
- First aid and medicine: a first aid kit, a week of prescriptions, spare glasses, and inhalers for anyone with asthma.
- Documents: IDs, insurance policies, deeds and medical records in a waterproof folder, plus copies on a USB drive or in secure cloud storage.
- Clothing: long sleeves and pants in cotton or wool (synthetics can melt), sturdy boots, a hat and leather gloves.
- Cash, a paper map and a list of phone numbers, in case phones and card readers are down.
For full packing lists, see how to build a wildfire go bag and building the ultimate wildfire go bag. A dedicated vehicle bag such as the Grey Ghost Gear Transport Go Bag keeps a second kit in the car.
Don't forget pets and people who need help
Keep carriers, leashes, food and records ready for pets, and plan how you'll move larger animals well before an order. If a neighbor is elderly or has limited mobility, agree now on who will help them leave.
Red-Flag Days: Get Ahead of It
A red flag warning means hot, dry, windy conditions that let fires start easily and spread fast. On those days:
- Park facing out with at least half a tank of gas, and keep the go bags in the car.
- Charge phones, power banks and power stations.
- Bring in or move doormats, cushions, brooms and anything else flammable near the house.
- Avoid anything that throws sparks outdoors: mowing over rocks, grinding, welding, towing chains that drag.
- Check alerts more often and keep a battery or hand-crank radio handy.
Evacuation Warning: Leave Early If You Can
A warning means danger is possible. It is the best time to go, especially with children, pets, older relatives or anyone with breathing problems. Roads are open, the air is clearer and you have time to think. If you stay until the order, do this while you wait:
- Load the car and keep the keys in your pocket.
- Close every window and door, including the garage, but leave them unlocked for firefighters.
- Shut off gas at the meter and turn off pilot lights. Move propane tanks away from the house.
- Take down flammable curtains and move furniture away from windows.
- Turn on outside lights so the house can be seen through smoke.
- Connect hoses and fill trash cans and tubs with water, but don't leave sprinklers running. They drain the water pressure firefighters need.
Evacuation Order: Go Now
An order means leave immediately. Don't wait to see flames. Drive with headlights on and windows up, set the air to recirculate, and follow the routes officials give you even if they're longer. Never drive into smoke you can't see through.
If you're trapped by fire, call 911 and give your location. In a car, park away from vegetation, keep the engine running, close the vents, lie on the floor and cover yourself with a wool blanket or coat. At home, stay inside, away from outside walls, with doors closed but unlocked. A house usually shields you better than open ground when the fire front passes.
Living With Wildfire Smoke
Smoke can reach far beyond the fire. Check your local air quality index (AirNow.gov in the US). When it's unhealthy:
- Stay indoors with windows and doors closed, and run air conditioning on recirculate.
- Run a portable HEPA air purifier in the room where you sleep. A box fan with a MERV 13 furnace filter taped to it is a common low-cost alternative.
- Don't add indoor pollution: skip candles, frying and vacuuming.
- Wear a well-fitted N95 or P100 outdoors. A mask that leaks around the edges doesn't protect you.
- Watch children, older adults, pregnant women and anyone with heart or lung conditions closely. Get medical help for chest pain, shortness of breath or severe coughing.
If the power goes out, your purifier stops too. A portable power station can keep it running.
After the Fire: Returning Home
- Return only when officials say it's safe. Hot spots, damaged power lines and weakened trees remain dangerous.
- Wear an N95 or P100, gloves, long sleeves and sturdy boots while cleaning up. Ash can contain toxic residue from burned materials.
- Check with your water utility before drinking tap water. Burned areas can contaminate water systems.
- Throw away food exposed to heat, smoke or soot, including canned food from damaged areas.
- Photograph all damage before you clean it up, for insurance.
Planning more broadly? See our family emergency plan guide and wildfire preparedness gear guide.
Common Questions
What should I do first to prepare for a wildfire?
Sign up for local emergency alerts, learn your evacuation zone, pack a go bag for each person, and clear everything flammable from the first five feet around your house.
What is defensible space?
It's the area around your home, usually out to about 100 feet, where you've reduced vegetation and anything else that burns so embers and flames are less likely to reach the house.
What is the difference between an evacuation warning and an evacuation order?
A warning means danger is possible and you should get ready or leave early. An order means danger is immediate and you should leave now.
What mask protects against wildfire smoke?
A well-fitted NIOSH-approved N95 or P100 respirator. Cloth masks, bandanas and surgical masks don't filter the fine particles in smoke.
What should be in a wildfire go bag?
Respirators and goggles, water and food, a headlamp and power bank, a first aid kit and medicines, important documents, cotton or wool clothing, cash and a paper map.
Should I stay and defend my home?
Fire agencies advise leaving when an order is issued. Homes can be rebuilt. Staying puts you and the firefighters who may have to rescue you at risk.
