What should I pack in case of evacuation due to wildfire?

Jamie Roice-Gomes and Ashley Andrews discuss preparing now for a wildfire evacuation

A fire burning towards a community

Evacuating during a wildfire is terrifying. It is important to prepare in advance. Photo courtesy of Boise Fire Department.

What should I pack in case of evacuation due to wildfire?

Jamie Roice-Gomes and Ashley Andrews discuss preparing now for a wildfire evacuation

Evacuating during a wildfire is terrifying. It is important to prepare in advance. Photo courtesy of Boise Fire Department.

A fire burning towards a community

Evacuating during a wildfire is terrifying. It is important to prepare in advance. Photo courtesy of Boise Fire Department.

Evacuating during a wildfire is a terrifying experience. It's difficult to think accurately and quickly. So, residents should prepare for an evacuation by packing go-bags before a wildfire threat begins. It is recommended that one bag is packed for each family member and each pet. While packing, refer to this checklist of go-bag recommendations from the Red Cross and Cooperative Extension's Living With Fire Program.

Supplies for People and Pets

  • Medications (7-day supply)
  • Water (1 gallon per person per day for 3 days)
  • Food (nonperishable 3-day supply) and manual can opener
  • Sanitation and hygiene items (shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.)
  • Medical supplies (hearing aids, with extra batteries, glasses, contact lenses, syringes, cane, etc.)
  • Baby supplies (bottles, formula, food, wipes, diapers, etc.) and games and activities for children
  • Pet supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl, etc.) and a picture of each pet
  • Clothing for 3-5 days

Household Records and Family Heirlooms

  • Extra sets of car, house and other keys
  • Family heirlooms, photo albums and videos
  • Important documents* (medication list, medical records, proof of address, deed/lease to the home, bank, IRS, trust, investments, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies, etc.)
  • Inventory of home contents and photographs of the exterior of the home and landscape*
  • Computer backup files*

Emergency Supplies and Information

  • Maps of the area
  • Multi-purpose tool
  • Flashlight with extra batteries
  • First aid kit and emergency blanket
  • Extra cash and/or credit and debit cards
  • Family and emergency contact information

Electronics and Power

  • Radio tuned to local news (hand-crank or battery-powered with extra batteries)
  • Cell phone, portable power bank and charger
  • Two-way radios with extra batteries

*Keep one copy in the go-bag and another away from the home or in the cloud.

To learn more about preparing the home and community for a wildfire, visit University of Nevada Cooperative Extension's Living With Fire website.


Jamie Roice-Gomes is the Living With Fire Program manager and outreach coordinator and Ashley Andrews is a communications specialist with Cooperative Extension. For more information on Living With Fire, contact  Jamie at 775-336-0261.


Latest From

Nevada Today