For Week 1, let’s all check that we’re following the trustworthy social media accounts, registered for the official alerts, and using the reputable apps that will provide us with the information we need in case of emergency.

Social Media
Whether you're using Facebook, Threads, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, or Bluesky, there's a really good chance that your local fire and police departments, as well as city and county officials are posting from their verified accounts pretty regularly. Go to the app's search bar and try phrases like these -- [Your City Name] Fire Department, City of [Your City Name], and National Weather Service (NWS) [Your City Name], etc.

Alerts
It’s also important to look into whether your city or county offers some sort of emergency alert system. I’m signed up to receive all emergency notifications through a county-level service. I'm also aware that our city is working hard to improve their communications during emergencies.

Apps
If you’ve followed me on social media for a bit, you’ve probably figured out that the Watch Duty app is one of my favorite resources for real-time wildfire information. I appreciate that, even with the free version of the app, I can go to Settings > Notifications and set up alerts for fire incidents in close proximity to my home and where I work. In a few instances, I received a Watch Duty notification before I heard anything from another source of alerts -- the team is quick to verify ignitions, double-check data with local sources, provide evacuation messaging, maps, etc. However, Watch Duty is currently only providing information for states in the Western U.S.

The Red Cross mobile app lets you customize weather-related notifications for your location. Like Watch Duty, it also provides information about local shelters and has an interactive map.

Although this was a simple task to get us started, I think it’s critical that we are connected to the first responders and local officials who share the information we need.

• Cost: No Cost
• Frequency: Account follows and alert registration should only need to occur once. However, verified organizations occasionally change their usernames so, over time, you should double-check that you're still following the current account. Apps will require occasional updates.

What social media accounts do you follow for important information? Are you signed up to receive alerts? Which apps do you trust most? Let me know in the Comments.


Important Disclaimer: I am not a fire preparedness professional. I am merely sharing my research, opinions, and what I find that applies to my geographic and personal situations in hopes that it will help others. Please make sure that whatever steps and advice you follow are what is best for you.

In March 2024, I watched a fast-moving, wind- and dry grass-fueled fire from my bedroom window. At the time, I was working to finish my Ph.D. and my research was focused on using satellite imagery to identify and quantify landscapes at risk of wildfires due to the presence of grassy vegetation. I'd spent years reading articles and publications about grass fires, I'd spoken with firefighters about the dangers associated with being near quickly moving fires in dead and dry (highly flammable) grasses, and I had even observed a prescribed fire and saw how flames burned in shrubs versus grassy environments. All that to say I wasn't a total novice when it came to the concept of what happens when you mix Red Flag conditions, dry vegetation, and at least one ignition.

Fast forward to March 2025 and I received a Watch Duty app alert about a fire in almost the same location. Like last year, we had low humidity and high wind conditions, and the snow that had blanketed the area not long before had already melted, leaving the soil and vegetation dry. I walked my dog and watched the smoke spread across the sky, and then a question popped into my head: If this fire were to spread to our neighborhood, how confident am I that we could quickly evacuate with the essentials and, ideally, that we would have a home to return to?

I'm signed up for emergency alerts. I always make sure my car's gas tank is over half full. I pay attention to potential evacuation routes around town. I have a Go Bag with the basics (and even an additional Go Box, if there's time to grab it). The yard is xeriscaped. The siding on the house is cement. I must be ready for wildfire... right?

But, like all of you, I've been heartbroken watching the loss of life and homes due to natural disasters. Recent fire events like the October 2017 Tubbs Fire in Sonoma and Napa Counties, CA; the December 2021 Marshall Fire in Boulder County, CO; the August 2023 Lahaina Fire in Maui, HI; and the January 2025 Palisades Fire in Los Angeles County, CA showed the world what can happen when extremely high wind conditions mix with fire and blowing embers. And those fires devastated neighborhoods that would be considered more urban areas as opposed to wildland-urban interface areas. Video footage has supplied those of us who weren't caught in those fires with just the tiniest glimpse of what the environment is like when attempting to evacuate -- it is the opposite of calm and slow-paced, but is extraordinarily hectic, difficult to navigate, dark, and terrifying.

I understand there is no simple solution to getting ready for and getting through such a harrowing situation. But I also believe that the least we, as community members, can do is to be prepared. When emergency responders come to our neighborhoods, we should make sure they're as safe as they can be as they work so hard to protect us and our properties. And the best way we can get prepared -- for ourselves, our families, our neighbors, and first responders -- is to start on those preparation tasks we've been putting off... and start today.

Thank you for joining me on this wildfire prep journey. Many of the tips (and lessons learned) that I share here will be most applicable to the states in the Western U.S. but, with a little flexibility and imagination, I'm confident that anything shared here can be adjusted and useful for everyone. And just because I've been studying wildfires for a while, I will never claim to be an expert -- what I share as part of #FirePrepFriday should be considered researched opinions. I'll always do my best to work from verified and reputable sources but, as every emergency situation is unique, I encourage all of you to make sure you tailor the preparation steps to your lives. I think if we all commit to checking one task off the To Do list each week, we’re going to be as ready for wildfire as we can be in no time.