If you’re trapped in a wildfire, here’s how to keep yourself and your family safe.
While wildfires are most common in hot, dry areas, they can happen anytime, anywhere. That’s why it’s important to follow these wildfire safety tips to prepare. But, if you do become trapped in your home, car, or outside during a forest fire, you can protect yourself. Here’s how:
What to do if you’re at home during a wildfire
- Stay calm and stay together.
- Call 911 and let them know where you are.
- Fill your sinks and bathtubs with cold water.
- Keep your doors and windows shut, but don’t lock them.
- Remove any window coverings and move fabric-covered furniture away from windows and sliding doors.
- Use hoses or sprinklers to wet your roof, walls, and the ground around your home, if you can do it safely.
- Stay inside and away from windows and exterior walls.
What to do if you’re in a car
- Stay calm.
- Park as far away from trees, brush and other vegetation as you can.
- Close all windows and air vents.
- Get down and lie on the floor.
- Cover yourself with a blanket or coat.
- Call 911 and let them know where you are.
- Stay in your car.
What to do if you’re outside in a forest fire
- Stay calm.
- Cover your nose and mouth with wet cloth.
- Put a body of water between you and the fire.
- Go to an area without vegetation – find a ditch or low spot in the ground if you can.
- Lie face down and cover your body with things like wet clothing, soil, or mud.
- Call 911 and let them know where you are.
- Stay down until the fire passes.
Wildfires spread quickly, so it’s important to know how to protect yourself and your family. And, remember to protect your home too, by making sure your insurance coverages up to date.