4 Tips to Prepare for Wildfires

Wildfires can affect communities and ecosystems across the nation. The widespread impact of these wildfires highlights the urgent need for awareness and preparedness within our communities.

May is Wildfire Awareness Month and serves as a reminder that preparedness is crucial. As the hotter, drier months approach, the risk of wildfires increases. 

Here are four tips to help protect yourself and those you care about. 

Ready Your Community 

Readying your community for wildfires starts with simple steps. Encourage people to take action by hardening structures – which means to prepare and protect a building so that it’s less vulnerable to ignition during a wildfire– and creating defensible spaces around their home and community. Also consider helping others who may need an extra hand in crafting their plans and building emergency kits. 

Additional actions to spread community preparedness include:

• Partnering with Local Fire Departments: Host preparedness events that help people build preparedness kits, inform your community about its wildfire risks and how to prepare and quickly respond to wildfires.
• Promoting Practices That Keep Your Home Safe: Encourage fire-resistant landscaping and proper firewood storage away from homes.
• Signing up for Community Alerts: Sign up community members for alerts through the FEMA App or local official alert systems.
• Promote Connectedness: Encourage neighbors to work together to help those who may need an extra hand making a plan and building emergency kits.

Make a Plan

The first step to wildfire preparedness is having a plan. Whether you are at home, work or elsewhere, having a plan in case of a wildfire is crucial, especially as your family may not always be together. Consider these key points when preparing your plan:

• Stay Informed: Know how you’ll receive alerts and warnings from local officials. You could do this by ensuring your Wireless Emergency Alerts are turned on, downloading the FEMA Mobile App or owning a battery-powered or hand-crank radio.
• Know Your Evacuation Routes: Learn and familiarize yourself with your state and local evacuation routes, as having these in place can be lifesaving, and make sure you know multiple ways to escape. Many states have designated evacuation zones and predetermined evacuation routes. Learn your state and local plans by visiting your state and county emergency management websites.
  • It’s important to note that wildfires can rapidly change direction. In case of a wildfire, ensure that your community knows about routes and alternate routes, listen to local emergency notifications for guidance.
• Build a kit: Prepare supplies that meet the needs of yourself, your family and anyone else you care for, such as pets or older adults. Prepare your own food, water and other supplies that last for several days. Once you review the basic items, consider what unique needs your family might have.
• Protect Important Documents: Save any important family documents, such as insurance policies, identification and bank account records, either electronically or in a fireproof, portable container. 

Tailor your plan and supplies to fit your specific daily living needs and responsibilities. Discuss these plans with people in your network to assist each other with communication, care of children, business, pets or specific needs like operating medical equipment.

Ready Your Home

You can take several small but important steps to prepare your home for wildfires. The U.S. Fire Administration promotes simple ways to prevent a fire from affecting your home and community, including the following:

• Clear Flammable Materials: Reduce potential fuel sources by removing pine needles, dry leaves and other highly flammable materials around your home.
• Protect Your Roof: Trim branches that overhang your home and remove leaves, needles and sticks from your roof and gutters.
• Use Safe Storage: Relocate wood piles and small propane tanks to a safe distance – at least 30 feet – from your home and your neighbor’s home.
• Install Ember Protection: Embers from a burning fire can enter your home through vents or under an unprotected porch. To prevent this risk, install  wire mesh screens with openings no more than 1/8 inch.

For additional tips on how to protect your home, visit the blog, 3 Tips to Make Your Home Resilient Against Wildfires. 

Buy Flood Insurance

Another important consideration is the need for flood insurance. After a wildfire, flood risk increases due to the inability of charred vegetation and soil to absorb water.  This makes the area more prone to flooding. Flood risk remains significantly higher until vegetation is restored, about five years or more after a wildfire. Purchasing flood insurance can protect property owners from catastrophic financial impacts from flooding after a wildfire.

Most homeowners’ insurance policies do not cover flood damage. Flood insurance is a separate policy covering buildings, their contents or both. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), managed by FEMA, provides flood insurance to property owners, renters and businesses – having this coverage helps you recover faster when floodwaters recede. 

The NFIP is making it easier to access flood insurance pricing information through their price quoting tool. Customers can get a flood insurance policy quote for their property and be provided local and national carrier information to assist them in purchasing their quoted policy.  Visit www.floodsmart.gov for more information.

For more information on how to prepare for wildfires, visit Ready.gov and Wildfire and the wildland urban interface (WUI).