Your Wildfire Preparedness Checklist: Learn What to do In Case of a Wildfire

Raging and out-of-control wildfires burn yearly in wildfire-prone areas, also known as the wildland-urban interface. The wildland-urban interface is any place located next to or within one mile of a natural area. If you live in the wildland-urban interface, having a wildfire preparedness checklist is crucial. 

A fire preparedness checklist will help you organize and prioritize your wildfire prepping so that if the moment comes, you will know what to do and how to survive a wildfire. Keep reading to learn about our wildfire preparedness checklist and how to use it to inform your prepping so that you’re ready for the unexpected. And click here to download our complete survival guide, which includes a printable version of our wildfire preparedness checklist.

Gather Supplies From Your Fire Preparedness Checklist

Gathering supplies and preparing for wildfires takes time. We recommend prepping little by little every single month. As time goes on, you will eventually have a cache of supplies that can assist you and help keep your family safe in the event of a wildfire. 

Emergency supplies to consider are:

• A bug-out bag
• A stay-at-home kit with emergency food and water
• A 72-hour emergency kit 
• First aid kit
• Emergency contact numbers

Besides gathering emergency supplies, it will also be essential to devise and practice an evacuation procedure.  

Practice Your “What to Do In Case of a Wildfire” Evacuation Procedure

In the event of a wildfire, you may need to bug out. Therefore, well-defined evacuation procedures are vital if you and your family live in the wildland-urban interface. When you are putting together your evacuation plan, make sure to consider the following elements:

• Plan and practice at least two ways to evacuate your home and neighborhood if your primary evacuation route is blocked. 
• Select a bug-out location outside the hazard area for family members to meet if you become separated. 
• Consider an evacuation plan for pets and large animals, such as horses or other livestock. 
  
  

Secure the Six P’s of Wildfire Safety

Oftentimes, in the event of a wildfire, you may have to bug-out vs. bug-in. If the wildfire does come close enough to your home and you have to evacuate, don’t forget to secure the Six P’s. 

Prepare to Deal With Smoke

In a survival situation, you can only survive for three minutes without clean air. That is why smoke from wildfires is so deadly and dangerous. Therefore, you must prepare to deal with smoke, even if the fire is not immediately close by. 

• Keep your windows and doors closed.
• Use fans and air conditioning to stay cool and avoid using HVAC systems that rely on a fresh air intake. 
• Use portable air cleaners or high-efficient air filters.
• Prep N95 respirator face masks and gas masks to protect your lungs from wildfire smoke and ash. 
• Avoid activities that create more fine particles indoors, such as spraying aerosol products, frying or broiling food, burning incense or candles, vacuuming, and using gas, propane, or wood-burning furnaces.   

 You can monitor the local outdoor air quality during a wildfire on AirNow.gov. 

Have a Plan to Stay Connected in Your Wildfire Checklist

During a wildfire scenario, most of the vital information you will need will come from your local government and first responder authorities. Therefore, you will want to monitor their messaging and recommendations so you can stay informed about how close the wildfire is and when to evacuate. 

In case you lose power or cell service, we recommend having a plan to stay connected. Having multiple ways to charge your cellphone will be essential. Also, having a battery-powered backup radio can help you stay connected. 

And most importantly, don’t forget to sign up for free wildfire safety alerts from your local government.  

Final Thoughts on What To Do In a Wildfire

You and your family are at risk if you live in the wildland-urban interface. Prepping with a wildfire preparedness checklist can make all the difference.

Please click here for a PDF version of our fire preparedness checklist. 

And for answers to questions like, “in the event of a wildfire, how much emergency food should I have?”, please don't hesitate to contact and consult one of our product experts.