You and your family probably have a plan for a house fire—a smoke detector in place, an evacuation plan, and a safe place to gather. But do you have a plan for a wildfire?

In 2024, nearly 65,000 wildfires were reported in the United States,, burning almost 9 million acres—well above recent averages. Wildfires are also reaching beyond traditional fire seasons, burning earlier and lingering later in the year. Hotter, drier summers and warmer winters can create conditions that fuel fires for more of the year, increasing risks to communities and putting greater pressure on the agencies responsible for keeping people safe.

Preparing for wildfire also happens beyond individual homes and communities. Through the Forest Service’s Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program, the agency works with partners on long-term, science-based restoration of priority forest landscapes. Projects can include prescribed fire, mechanical thinning, and other treatments designed to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire while improving forest and watershed health. These larger-scale efforts work alongside the steps individuals can take to make their homes and families better prepared.

While there is no way to fully protect yourself from the chance of wildfires, you can take action to help keep your family safe:

Prepare your home:

• Clear your gutters, roof, eaves, deck, and crawlspaces of debris—this material is flammable.
• If you see branches that overhang structures on your property, trim them back up to 6-10 feet from the ground.
• Check your insurance! Make sure your homeowner's policy is up to date and prepare or update a list of your home's contents.
• If your home is in a wooded area, or an area that you know to be frequently threatened by wildfire, consider taking the zone approach with your landscaping, creating defensible space around your home that embers and small flames will have difficulty bridging.
• Regardless of where you live, follow the tips in this Firewise checklist for homeowners to help make your home inhospitable to fire.

Prepare your family:

• Talk about it! Young and old, everyone needs to be on the same page about your risks and plan for wildfire. Check out these resources on how to have these conversations with your family.
• Make sure everyone knows where to go to learn about your area's risk of weather that would be favorable for the start or spread of wildfire: https://www.weather.gov/fire/
• Make a family communications plan so everyone knows how to reach everyone else—you may become separated from your phone during a crisis and lose access to saved numbers, so having a second copy is key.
• Maintain an emergency supply kit—if you already have one made, take the time to make sure that all of the materials are up to date.
• Have everyone review the steps to take if they become trapped during a wildfire.

Prepare for evacuation:

• Review the basics of evacuation—the middle of a crisis is not the time you want to be looking up potential routes to safety.
• Create an evacuation plan with your family—where to go, how to get there, what to take, and how to let others know that you're ok. People, pets, prescriptions, important documents, personal computers, and cash and credit cards are all essential in the case of evacuation—if there is time.
• Go over the evacuation checklist with your family—everyone should know what they need and where to find it before the evacuation orders come in, as well as steps to take to guard your empty house. What you wear when you evacuate is also key—long pants, long-sleeved shirts (100% cotton), heavy shoes, and face and eye protection are essential.
   

^{Originally published: July 2016 • Updated}