For Week 1 of #FirePrepFriday, I encouraged everyone to follow the social media accounts of local first responders, as well as register for city-, county-, and/or state-level emergency alerts. But do you know what to do when you actually receive an alert urging you to evacuate? Do you know where to go and how to get there? For Week 3, set aside some time to plan what you'll do if you get an evacuation alert.

Before the Evacuation Alert: Know Where to Go
This week, pick at least two routes that get you away from your neighborhood, work, or school and to a safe place. Because it's so dependent on current and local weather conditions (including temperature, humidity, and wind), topography, the state of fuels (for example, dry and dead vegetation versus happy, green plants in super saturated soil), etc., it's not an exact science to predict where a fire will ignite and how it will spread. This means we need to identify a few places where we can evacuate to. I include links at the bottom of this post to help you with this step and identify locations in your area, but examples of questions you'll want to ask yourself include:

• How many routes are available to me if I need to evacuate from home, work, or school? Where are they? Are these roads wide enough to allow space for the drivers that will use it? Do I know these routes well enough that I can drive in smoky, low-visibility conditions on a road with other panicked drivers?
• Does my neighborhood or city have designated shelters to which I can evacuate? If so, can I bring my family, my pets, etc.? What other places can I go to if these shelters are full or unavailable? Do I have a place to go if I cannot return to my residence for a longer period of time?

Once you've identified possible shelter locations and routes, I highly recommend you make paper and digital notes and then practice evacuating.

• Get an up-to-date paper map of your local area. Mark the locations of your home, work, or school, the possible shelters, and evacuation routes. Keep this marked map in your vehicle, Go Bag, work location -- whatever makes the most sense for you.
• Add your home, work, or school, as well as the shelter locations you identified, as pins or "Favorites" in your map app of choice.
  • For Google Maps, you can use these instructions.
  • For Apple Maps, you can use these instructions.
• Practice! Practice driving, bicycling, and walking the routes you identified. Be prepared for any evacuation situation, and make sure your family, pets, friends, and neighbors practice, too. Also, plan what to do in case you are separated from them during an emergency.

How Do You Know When to Go?
When you signed up to receive alerts, hopefully you were prompted to enter an address (home, work, or school). If so, the alerting system will use that address to assign you to a pre-established zone and send notifications to only those community members who are most immediately impacted by a particular emergency event. Each area and alerting system are likely different but, as one example, Colorado's El Paso and Teller Counties offer Peak Alerts. Public safety officials working an emergency incident determine the location that will require an alert, then the 9-1-1 Dispatch Center generates a map to identify who to send alerts to. The City of Colorado Springs has a "Know Your Zone" feature. Emergency managers divided the city into zones, and this helps the Fire and Police Departments better identify affected areas and determine who needs to be evacuated or shelter-in-place. If your area does not offer alerts, and if you live in a Western U.S. state, you can set up alerts in the Watch Duty app (even with the free version). If you're registered with any of these alerting options, you should receive a text or phone call alerting you of the status of a current emergency incident when it occurs near you.

I've seen a number of communities adopt the Ready, Set, Go! (RSG) Program terminology. The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)-managed RSG Program provides actions to prepare homes and families to be ready for emergencies, illustrates how to be set for wildfire (by being aware of developing conditions and situations that demand immediate action), and offers an action plan that lists key steps that are necessary when it's time to go. The downloadable IAFC Wildland Fire Action Guide includes all of the steps we'll address over time with #FirePrepFriday, to include this week's task of identifying evacuation routes and shelters (for Action Guides in languages besides English, use this link) and writing them down (page 11).  If your alerts include these key terms, you'll have a better idea of what you need to do. Your alerts may also include the words watch versus warning which, at a very basic level, differentiate between "be prepared" versus "take action," respectively. The National Weather Service (NWS) provides more detailed definitions.

Cost: $0 - $$ (depending on the price of purchased paper maps)
Frequency: You should double-check and update evacuation routes, as needed. For example, if a road on your route is shut down because of construction for three months, you definitely want to have another available option. It is also important to check that shelters are still accepting evacuees at least annually.

Are you prepared to go? Let me know in the Comments.

Additional Resources

• Steps and examples for building an emergency evacuation plan:
  • Ready: Evacuation
  • American Red Cross: Disaster Preparedness Plan
  • IAWF: Wildland Fire Action Guide
  • DisasterAssistance.gov: Evacuate or Stay Put
• Information about how to find a shelter location:
  • American Red Cross: Find An Open Shelter and Other Services
    • This site has an interactive map
  • DisasterAssistance.gov: Emergency Shelter
    • To search for a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC), text DRC and your ZIP code to 43362 (Example: DRC 01234) (standard messaging rates apply)
  • FEMA: How do I find an emergency shelter near me?
    • To search for open shelters, text SHELTER and your ZIP code to 43362 (Example: Shelter 01234) (standard messaging rates apply)
  • AidTeam: Finding Local Emergency Shelters
    • I really like this site as it allows you to enter a zip code, pinpoint nearby emergency shelters within a reasonable distance, and then print a map with those shelter locations
• Information about how to find housing after a disaster:
  • USA.gov: How to find housing after a disaster
  • DisasterAssistance.gov: Do you need help after a disaster?

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.

If you're like me, your pet is your child, and you'll do anything to make sure they're safe. For Week 2, I want to ensure the fur, feather, scale, and hoof babies are ready to go. There are a number of "need to have" and "nice to have" items, so build your emergency evacuation supplies in such a way that they fit the needs of you and your pet(s). I'll share what I did for my dog, Abby, and then I'll list additional resources.

Items in Abby's Go Bag

• Travel crate, travel bed, and a small towel
  • The crate is labeled with my contact information
• Food and items for eating/drinking
  • To make it easy, I put the most recently purchased bag of food in the Go Bag (and I rotate food bags every time I shop and get a new one)
  • I included bowls, a small container, a scoop, and a clip for the food bag
• Personal information, vaccination records, and prescriptions
  • I scanned the following items, emailed them to myself so I have electronic records, and also printed and added them to the bag:
    • I used this list from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but added today's date (so I know when it was last updated), her Colorado license information (and included her tag in her bag), and her estimated date of birth
    • Rabies and vaccination records (and included her rabies tag in her bag)
  • I keep all of Abby's heartworm, flea, and tick prevention treatments in their original boxes (with the pharmacy labels and instructions) and in her bag at all times. Like her food bags, I rotate out the prescriptions every time I get a refill.
  • I included a recent photograph of Abby and me. In the event we're separated, and I don't have my phone, I can share the photo as proof to get us reunited.
• Pet first aid information
• Shirt, jacket, and socks
  • Clothing can serve a couple purposes: If it's cold, it'll keep her warm; and if she sustains an injury, a shirt or socks will help keep her from fussing at bandaged wounds or stitches
• Extra harness, collar, and light-up safety collar
• Potty patches and poop bags
• Pouch
  • One benefit of a little dog is that I can easily tuck her into a pouch and have free hands

Assuming we're both at home when I receive the "Go: Evacuate Now" alert, all I have to do is put Abby in her crate, grab her Go Bag, and leave the area. Other items that will be useful for me -- like water, bandages, blankets, etc. -- will be part of a separate weekly task list item.

How to Prepare If You're Not At Home When Your Neighborhood Must Evacuate
This is a huge concern of mine, so I've done what I can in case this is ever the scenario we experience.

• My neighbors know Abby and are aware she's at home (if she isn't with me)
• I have a sticker in a front window that I identifies there is one dog in the house
• If first responders get into the house and Abby escapes in a panic, she is microchipped

I understand the whole "put your oxygen mask on first" metaphor but, for me, it was really important to get Abby ready for wildfire early on in our preparation journey.

Cost: $0 - $$$ (depending on what you already have and what you need to add)​
Frequency: Check the Go Bag frequently enough to ensure that food and medications aren't expired. Depending on the seasons, have water in the car or near the door (for example, I don't keep water in the car when outside temperatures are freezing). Also depending on seasons, swap out lighter clothing for something thicker.

What do you have in your pet(s)' Go Bags? Or what did you have, but removed when you realized it wasn't necessary in an emergency situation? What other resources are useful? Let me know in the Comments.

Additional Resources To Help You Get Started

• Examples of pre-built pet emergency Go Bags, kits, and supplies (I have not tried any of these):
  • Chewy ($10 - $130)
  • Amazon ($12 - $130)
  • Etsy ($25 - $300)
• Identification product I use for Abby: DOG iD
  • In addition to a typical collar tag, I purchased this ID from the makers of ROAD iD because I can include more information. It's attached to Abby's leash.
• U.S. CDC: Build a Pet Disaster Preparedness Kit
• Ready: Prepare Your Pets for Disasters
  • This site includes tips for preparing to evacuate with large animals (horses, goats, pigs)
• American Red Cross: Pet Disaster Preparedness
  • This site includes information for livestock and companion animals; pet first aid; protection from heat, winter, and fire; and travel safety
• American Human Society: Pet Disaster Preparedness
• Best Friends Animal Society: Pet Emergency Kit Checklist and Plan
• Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region: Disaster Preparedness
  • Although a local site, there are links for how to prepare with domestic pets versus non-commercial livestock, as well as FAQs

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.

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: $0
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.