Are You Ready for Wildfire?

A message promoting wildfire preparedness with a focus on being informed and ready to act.

Wildfire can move quickly. The best time to prepare is before there is smoke in the air or an evacuation notice is issued.

We encourage every household to be First to Know and Ready to Go. That means signing up for alerts, packing a go bag, and making a plan for how your family, pets, and loved ones will leave safely if conditions change.

 

Three Steps to Get Wildfire Ready

1. Alerts On
Sign up for emergency alerts before wildfire season. County alerts provide real-time emergency notifications about evacuations, road closures, wildfires, and severe weather. Carbondale Fire also uses ReachWell for urgent District updates. The guide also recommends alerts, a packed go bag, and an evacuation plan as the three core preparedness steps.

 

Sign Up For Emergency Alerts

 

2. Go Bag Packed
Keep your essentials in one place and ready to grab. Your go bag should include medications, important documents, phone chargers, pet supplies, a flashlight, radio, extra batteries, clothes, eyeglasses, hygiene items, and irreplaceable items you can carry. The attached Wildfire Ready Guide includes a full go bag checklist.


 

Download the Wildfire Ready Guide & Kit

 

3. Plan Your Way Out
Know at least two ways out of your home and neighborhood. Choose a meeting place, pick an out-of-area contact, and practice your evacuation plan with children, pets, and anyone who may need extra help.

Evacuation Levels

Ready: Prepare to Evacuate
Be aware of danger in the area. Stay informed, have your plan and go kit ready, and act early if you or your loved ones need extra time.

Set: Get Set to Evacuate Quickly
There is significant danger. Follow your evacuation plan, get your go kit, and be ready to leave. Conditions may change rapidly.

GO: LEAVE NOW
There is extreme danger. Leave immediately. Do not stop to gather belongings or protect your home. Do not return until officials say it is safe.

The image provides wildfire evacuation steps: "Ready" (prepare), "Set" (get ready), and "Go!" (evacuate immediately).
Gráfico de evacuación en español para incendios forestales que explica **Prepárense para evacuar**, **Prepárense para evacuar rápidamente** y **Evacúe ahora**.

 

If You Need to Evacuate -REMEMBER THE SIX “P’S”

  1. People and pets
  2. Papers, phone numbers, and important documents
  3. Prescriptions, vitamins, and eyeglasses
  4. Pictures and irreplaceable memorabilia
  5. Personal computer hard drive and disks
  6. “Plastic” (credit cards, ATM cards) and cash

Prepare Your Home

Simple steps around your home can lower wildfire risk and help slow fire spread. Start closest to the house by clearing leaves, pine needles, wood mulch, firewood, cushions, and other items that can catch embers. Then work outward by mowing grass, pruning branches, removing ladder fuels, and creating space between trees and shrubs. The guide includes a Home Ignition Zone checklist.

 

Sign Up for a Free Wildfire Risk Assessment

Helpful Resources

Check out Ready for Wildfire’s Ready, Set, Go program and Live Wildfire Ready for even more great information. You can even create your own Wildfire Action Plan.