Wildfires are fires that burn out of control in a natural area, like a forest, grassland, or prairie. They often begin unnoticed. They spread quickly, and can damage natural resources, destroy homes, and threaten the safety of the public and firefighters.

Humans cause most wildfires. It can be an accident, like when people don't take care of their campfire properly, burn debris, or are careless when getting rid of their cigarettes. It can also be on purpose, which is called arson. Lightning and lava also can also causes wildfires. Wildfires are more common when conditions are dry. High winds can make them spread more quickly.

Although there are no guarantees of safety if you live in an area threatened by a wildfire, you can take actions to protect yourself. You should have a disaster plan. Being prepared can help reduce fear, anxiety, and losses. If you do experience a disaster, it is normal to feel stressed. You may need help in finding ways to cope.

A wildfire is a fire that burns out of control in a natural area, like a forest, grassland, or prairie. Wildfires can start from natural causes, such as lightning, but they are usually caused by humans, such as campers or hikers who did not put out their campfire properly. Wildfires spread quickly, burning brush, trees, and homes in its path. They can also affect natural resources (such as soil, animals, forests), destroy homes, and put people's lives in danger.

Words to know!

Evacuation - Leaving an area that has been declared unsafe.

Fire Extinguisher - A fire protection device that sprays foam and is used to help put out small fires.

Red Flag Warning - Also called a Fire Weather Warning, it is a warning for when fire danger exists because of weather patterns.

Evacuation Notice - An evacuation notice tells you that a fire is nearby, and it is important—or mandatory—to leave the area.

Fire Weather Watch - A notice that dangerous fire weather conditions are possible over the next 12 to 72 hours.

Smoke Alarms - Sensors attached to the ceiling that sound an alarm when they sense smoke.

Am I at Risk?

Wildfires can happen anywhere, anytime. The chance of wildfires happening is higher when there is little or no rainfall. This makes bushes, grass and trees dry and easier to burn. High winds can spread wildfires. Your community may have a designated wildfire season when the risk is particularly high.

What Can I Do?

Before

• Build an emergency kit in case you have to evacuate. 
• Make a family communications plan.
• Know your evacuation route and practice going to these places. 
• Make sure your family has smoke alarms on every level of your home, especially in bedrooms. Ask your parents to check them every month and to change the batteries every year.
• If you don’t have a smoke alarm, check with your local fire department about getting a free one.
• Help your parents to rake the lawn and get rid of leaves and twigs. These can catch fire if a wildfire is near your home. Never play with matches. You could accidentally start a fire.

During

• Listen to emergency officials
• Follow local emergency officials’ orders. If they say to evacuate, do so immediately.
• If you see a wildfire, call 9-1-1. You may be the first person to have spotted it!
• If trapped, call 9-1-1.

After

• Call 9-1-1 and seek help immediately if you or someone you are with has been burned. Cool and cover burns to reduce the chance of further injury or infection.
• If you are at home, keep a “fire watch.” That means, look for smoke or sparks throughout the house. If you see anything, tell a grown-up immediately!
• If you have evacuated, do not go home until safety officials say it’s okay. Stay away from downed or dangling power lines. They could electrocute you.
• Avoid walking on hot/burning surfaces. After a fire, the ground may contain heat pockets or hidden embers. Stay away. They could burn you or spark another fire.
• If you have animals, watch them closely and keep them under your control. Note that hidden embers and hot spots could burn their paws or hooves.
• Do not use water from the faucet unless emergency officials say it’s okay.
• Burned areas should be monitored for at least 12 hours to make sure the fire is out and danger has past.
• Leave wildfire clean-up activities to adults. Children should not help with clean-up efforts.
• Throw away food exposed to heat, smoke, or soot. When in doubt, throw it out.
• Use text or social media to communicate with your family and friends.

Did you know?

The three elements needed to create and keep a fire burning are heat, fuel, and oxygen, also known as the fire triangle.

Incident Meteorologists (IMETs) are a group of around 70 specially-trained weather experts with the National Weather Service. They work closely with wildfire responders at wildfire sites to monitor, analyze, and report fire and weather conditions. Their forecasts help firefighters plan operations when dealing with the unpredictable nature of fire. This helps keep emergency responders safe.

Wildland fire increases the risk for a diverse range of health outcomes from both the fire itself and smoke. For example:

• Due to the nature of their work, firefighters are at risk of developing severe heat-related illness (such as heat stroke) and rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown).

• Wildfire can cause burns through contact with flames and hot surfaces as well as chemical and electrical burns.

• Wildfire smoke can lead to disorders including reduced lung function, bronchitis, exacerbation of asthma, and cardiovascular effects like heart failure.

• For pregnant people, smoke exposure may increase the risk of reduced birth weight and preterm birth.

• Wildfire smoke may affect the immune system, potentially leading to increased vulnerability to lung infections like COVID-19.

• Smoke and ash from wildfires can travel downwind and affect air quality hundreds of miles away from the fire.

Take steps now to prepare for wildfires. More and more people make their homes in areas that are prone to wildfires. You can take steps to be ready for a wildfire and prepare your home and landscaping to reduce your risk from a wildfire.

Know your community’s evacuation plans.

• Find several ways to leave your area.
• Drive the evacuation routes and find shelter locations.
• Have a plan for pets and livestock.

Gather emergency supplies, such as respirators.

• A respirator filters out smoke or ash before you can breathe it in. Respirators are not made to fit children.
• Remember the needs of children, pregnant women, and individuals with medical conditions like asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), or heart disease.

Plan to keep wildfire smoke outside.

• Choose a room you can close off from outside air.
• Set up a portable air cleaner or a filter to keep the air in this room cleaner even when it’s smoky outdoors or in the rest of your home.
• Make a plan to keep wildfire smoke out of schools or commercial buildings.

Keep track of fires near you so you can be ready.

• AirNow’s “Fires: Current Conditions page” has a map of fires throughout North America.
• NOAA’s “Fire weather outlook” page maps fire watches and warnings.
• Listen to the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio for emergency alerts.

Stay safe during a fire. Pay attention to local weather forecasts, especially those that may affect fire conditions, and always follow instructions given by local emergency management officials.

Protect yourself from smoke.

When wildfires create smoky conditions it’s important for everyone to reduce their exposure to smoke. Wildfire smoke irritates your eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. It can make it hard to breathe and make you cough or wheeze.  Children, pregnant women, and people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or heart disease, need to be especially careful about breathing wildfire smoke.

Keep smoke outside.

• Choose a room you can close off from outside air.
• Set up a portable air cleaner or a filter to keep the air in this room clean even when it’s smoky in the rest of the building and outdoors. If you use a do-it-yourself box fan filtration unit, never leave it unattended.

Reduce your smoke exposure by wearing a respirator.

• A respirator is a mask that fits tightly to your face to filter out smoke before you breathe it in.
• You must wear the right respirator and wear it correctly. Respirators are not made to fit children.
• If you have heart or lung disease ask your doctor if it is safe for you to wear a respirator.
• Avoid using candles, gas, propane, wood-burning stoves, fireplaces, or aerosol sprays and don’t fry or broil meat, smoke tobacco products, or vacuum.
• If you have a central air conditioning system, use high efficiency filters to capture fine particles from smoke. If your system has a fresh air intake, set the system to recirculate mode or close the outdoor intake damper.

Pets and other animals can be affected by wildfire smoke too.

• Learn how to protect petsexternal icon and livestock.
• Some evacuation centers do not accept animals.

Keep track of fires near you so you can be ready.

• AirNow’s “Fires: Current Conditions” page has a map of fires throughout North America.
• NOAA’s “Fire weather outlook” page maps fire watches and warnings.
• Listen to the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio for emergency alerts.

Pay attention to any health symptoms if you have asthma, COPD, heart disease, or are pregnant. Get medical help if you need it.

Evacuate safely.

You may be asked by public authorities to evacuate or you may decide to evacuate. Read about how to evacuate safely and how to develop a family disaster plan, including:

• Finding out what could happen to you
• Making a disaster plan
• Completing the checklist
• Practicing your plan

Stay healthy during power outages.

Large fires can cause long-term power outages. Read about what to do if your power goes out, including:

• Preventing carbon monoxide poisoning
• Food safety
• Safe drinking water
• Power line hazards

Wildfire smoke can harm you in multiple ways. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. This fact sheet tells you how you can protect your health and be safe if you are exposed to wildfire smoke.

What is Wildfire Smoke and Can it Make Me Sick?

Wildfire smoke is a mix of gases and fine particles from burning vegetation, building materials, and other materials. Wildfire smoke can make anyone sick. Even someone who is healthy can get sick if there is enough smoke in the air. Breathing in smoke can have immediate health effects, including:

• Coughing
• Trouble breathing normally
• Stinging eyes
• A scratchy throat
• Runny nose
• Irritated sinuses
• Wheezing and shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Headaches
• An asthma attack
• Tiredness
• Fast heartbeat

Older adults, pregnant women, children, and people with preexisting respiratory and heart conditions may be more likely to get sick if they breathe in wildfire smoke.

Wildfire Smoke Can Affect High Risk Groups

Eight Tips for Protecting Yourself from Breathing Wildfire Smoke

If possible, limit your exposure to smoke. Here are eight tips to help you protect your health:

1. Pay attention to local air quality reports and the US Air Quality Index . When a wildfire occurs in your area, watch for news or health warnings about smoke. Pay attention to public health messages and take extra safety measures such as avoiding spending time outdoors.
2. Pay attention to visibility guides if they are available. Although not every community measures the amount of particles in the air, some communities in the western United States have guidelines to help people estimate air quality based on how far they can see.
3. If you are told to stay indoors, stay indoors and keep your indoor air as clean as possible. Keep windows and doors closed unless it is very hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. Seek shelter elsewhere if you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed.
4. Use an air filter. Use a freestanding indoor air filter with particle removal to help protect people with heart disease, asthma or other respiratory conditions and the elderly and children from the effects of wildfire smoke. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on filter replacement and where to place the device.
5. Do not add to indoor pollution. When smoke levels are high, do not use anything that burns, such as candles and fireplaces. Do not vacuum, because vacuuming stirs up particles already inside your home. Do not smoke tobacco or other products, because smoking puts even more pollution into the air.
6. Follow your doctor’s advice about medicines and about your respiratory management plan if you have asthma or another lung disease or cardiovascular disease. Call your doctor if your symptoms worsen.
7. Do not rely on dust masks for protection. Paper “comfort” or “dust” masks commonly found at hardware stores trap large particles, such as sawdust. These masks will not protect your lungs from smoke. An “N95” mask, properly worn, will offer some protection.
8. Avoid smoke exposure during outdoor recreation. Wildfires and prescribed burns—fires that are set on purpose to manage land—can create smoky conditions. Before you travel to a park or forest, check to see if any wildfires are happening or if any prescribed burns are planned.

If your home was affected by a wildfire, do not return home until authorities say it is safe. Take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Continue to check air quality reports.

• Take steps to reduce your exposure to smoke. Smoke can stay in the air for days after a wildfire ends.

Wildfires leave behind a lot of ash that can irritate your eyes, nose, or skin and cause coughing and other health effects.

• Children, pregnant women, and people with asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), or heart disease need to be especially careful about breathing in dust from ash.
• Protect yourself against ash when you clean up. Wear gloves, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and shoes and socks to protect your skin. Wear goggles to protect your eyes.
• Wash off any ash that gets on your skin or in your eyes or mouth as soon as you can.
• Children should not do any cleanup work.
• Limit how much ash you breathe in by wearing an N95 respirator. A respirator is a mask that fits tightly to your face to filter out ash before you can breathe it in.  You must wear a respirator correctly. Respirators are not made to fit children.  If you have heart or lung disease ask your doctor if it is safe for you to wear a respirator.
• Pay attention to any health symptoms if you or your children have asthma, COPD, heart disease, or are pregnant. Get to medical help if you need it.
• After a wildfire, private wells can be contaminated and unsafe to use for drinking water and other purposes.

Drive safely.

• Be alert for broken traffic lights and missing street signs.
• Watch out for trash and debris on the road.

Be careful around damaged buildings or structures.

• Wait to return to buildings during daylight hours, when it is easier to avoid hazards, especially if the electricity is off and you have no lights.

Clean up safely.

• Wear proper safety equipment, avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, and avoid electrical hazards.

Protect your emotional well-being.

After a wildfire, you may feel sad, mad, guilty, or numb. These are all normal reactions to stress. Talk to a psychologist, social worker, or professional counselor if you need help coping.

Workers face hazards even after fires are extinguished. In addition to a smoldering or new fire, dangers include:

• carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning
• confined spaces
• extreme heat and cold
• fire
• hazardous materials
• heavy equipment
• musculoskeletal hazards
• respiratory hazards
• unstable structures
• worker fatigue

Workers and volunteers should be advised of and should follow proper safety precautions. Workers’ and volunteers’ experience levels vary, and cleanup crews must work together to ensure safety.

Wildfires have caused millions of acres to burn, leaving death, injury, loss of homes and community destruction in their wake. Such events can also cause financial hardship and ongoing stressors as people work to put their lives back together.

Wildfires are particularly stressful because they can be fast moving, unpredictable, and can cause massive damage. Evacuation orders may happen with very short notice, forcing people to make important decisions in very little time.

Because wildfires typically affect a large region, there is also social and community disruption. It can be difficult or impossible to obtain insurance reimbursements or to purchase materials needed for repairs, and skilled workers may have long waiting lists for their services. But there is also support that comes from going through a shared event.

Wildfires are experienced collectively and, therefore, people are connected and can help each other cope. During the event itself we often hear stories of heroes who put their lives at risk to help strangers. Following the event, fire survivors are surrounded by others who can understand what they experienced as everyone is moving through the event at the same time. Support can also come from the public through fundraising efforts, outsiders volunteering to find ways to help, and FEMA's practical assistance.

Given the damage and disruption that can occur after a major fire, it is not surprising that almost everyone has symptoms in the immediate aftermath. The initial relief to be alive may be followed by distress, fear, and anger.

Wildfire survivors may find it hard to stop thinking about what happened, have trouble sleeping, or feel keyed up or on edge. For most people those reactions will lessen over the first few weeks or months. For those who lost a loved one, were injured, or are homeless, those reactions may be more intense and longer-lasting.

Ongoing Stressors

In addition to the immediate problems fires cause, there are additional stressors that can make it difficult to get on with life:

• Days or weeks may pass before evacuees can get back to their homes to even assess the damage.
• Rebuilding takes money, time, materials, and workers—all of which can be in short supply.
• Families may take in relatives while they look for other housing, which can be stressful for everyone.
• People may be out of work if their employers are rebuilding or if they cannot make it to their jobs.
• Parents may have to enroll children in new schools if the family was forced to relocate.
• New physical health problems from injuries or air quality factors may need attention and pre-existing health problems can be made worse by stress.

Wildfires may also occur many times in a person's life, if they remain in a community that is prone to fires. A strong connection to place can be both a strength and a vulnerability in someone who lives in a community that is prone to disasters. And because fires are relatively common in some areas, fire trucks, sirens, or even high winds can serve as regular reminders of memories well after the event.

Coping After a Wildfire: Immediate Needs

After a severe wildfire, people's reactions, needs and priorities will vary depending on many factors. When the fire has caused injury, threat to life, evacuation or displacement, large-scale damage, separation from loved ones, extreme loss, or perception of ongoing health risks, people may require more psychosocial support because they are more likely to be significantly distressed.

In the immediate aftermath of any disaster, most people have a core set of priorities that are related to 5 key needs:

• Reestablishing a sense of safety
• Regaining control and calm
• Connecting with loved ones and others
• Getting through the crisis
• Feeling hope, optimism, faith or the belief that things will work out

In general, anything you can do to help yourself or others move towards reestablishing a sense of safety, calm, connectedness and hope can support recovery. Keep in mind that feelings of distress in the aftermath of disasters cannot be resolved by a single act or a simple fix.

But there are some important principles to remember:

• There’s no “right way” to deal with these things. We each need to find the way that works for us, and be patient in applying simple, ongoing strategies.
• Talk when you need to; listen when you can. It sometimes helps to hear the perspectives of other people who share your values and experiences. Take what helps and leave the rest.
• You don’t have to talk when you don’t feel like it. Survivors sometimes do better when they are given space. If you are the loved one of a survivor, respect the survivor’s desire not to talk if that is what they want. Give them space, and check back later.
• Resilience—being able to adapt to what life presents—often means rolling with the punches. Disasters highlight the forces in life that are much bigger than we are, and remind us that there’s only so much we can do.
• Social support is key. Positive social support plays a crucial role in helping people recover from threat, trauma, and adversity. Reconnect with those you feel closest to or reach out to others who have had similar experiences or who are caring and wise.
• Give it time. Resilience means that you bounce back in the time; it doesn’t mean that you never feel the impact of traumatic events. Learning to accommodate the things you experience is a continual process.

Coping After a Wildfire: Long-Term Needs

Most people who experience a wildfire will recover. Having symptoms in the immediate aftermath does not mean that you will have symptoms forever. People who lost a love one, were injured, or became homeless are more likely to have longer-term reactions.

Recovering can take time, and it may require you to learn how to adapt in new ways. What you need in the long term may be different from what helped you immediately after the event. Here are some strategies to help you continue to recover over time.

Strategies for managing ongoing distress

As time moves on, if you still feel distressed or have trouble functioning, it is important to continue with general self-care activities. You may also want include some of the following strategies:

• Safety. To lessen worries, it can help to stay focused on specific routines of day-to-day living.
• Media Viewing. Turn off the television and take a break from social media if watching coverage of the event is increasing your distress.
• Problem-solving. Take an active, problem-solving approach to ongoing challenges by breaking problems into smaller chunks, brainstorming solutions, and planning for simple, achievable steps towards solutions.
• Positive Activities Scheduling. Try to engage in positive, healthy, or meaningful activities. Doing things that are enjoyable, even if you don’t feel like it, can make you feel better.
• Volunteering. Volunteer work may also be a way to find meaning in helping others and building relationships with people who share your interests and values.
• Managing Emotions. Look for positive coping strategies that help you manage your emotions. Listening to music, exercising, practicing breathing routines, talking with others, spending time in nature or with pets, journaling, or reading inspirational texts are some simple ways to help manage overwhelming or distressing emotions.
• Social Support. Spend time with people who give you a sense of security, calm, or happiness, or those who you feel you can support.
• Helpful Thinking. Reframe or divert your attention by practicing acceptance, prayer, or mindfulness. You can also use humor or try to think through the costs and benefits of holding onto negative thoughts or behaviors and then practice more helpful ways of thinking or acting.
• Meaning Making. Reflect positively on people or aspects of life that you may have lost. Try to find meaningful ways to honor that loss, either on your own or through contact with others. You can also shift your expectations about what is considered a "good day," and reconfirm the people, values, and goals in your life that you realize are most important to you.

There is no standard timeline for recovering from a wildfire. Depending on how much the fire impacted you, it may take a long time to feel better. If you can develop your own ways of adapting to ongoing events and situations, you may gain a stronger sense of being able to deal challenges, a greater sense of meaning or purpose, or an ability mentor and support others in similar situations.

When to Consider Professional Help

If you are distressed, or unable to function well, consider seeking help.

There are competent and caring professionals available who can effectively treat the most common responses to hurricanes, like depression, anxiety, PTSD, and complicated grief. The most effective treatments give you tools to problem-solve, mourn and make sense of what happened, deal with numbness or intense emotions, and foster resilience. It is a good idea to try meeting with a mental health professional at least once. The sooner you get help, the sooner you will feel better.

For those in need of more intensive services, research supports trauma-focused psychotherapy for PTSD as an effective treatment following disaster. “Trauma-focused” means that the treatment focuses on the memory of the traumatic event and its meaning. Trauma-focused psychotherapies use different techniques to help you process your traumatic experience. For example, some involve visualizing, talking, or thinking about the traumatic memory. Others focus on changing unhelpful beliefs about the trauma. They usually last about 8-16 sessions.

Wildfires are unplanned fires that burn in natural areas like forests, grasslands or prairies. These dangerous fires spread quickly and can devastate not only wildlife and natural areas, but also communities.

Prepare for Wildfires

Recognize Warnings and Alerts

• Have several ways to receive alerts. Download the FEMA app and receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide. Sign up for community alerts in your area and be aware of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA), which requires no-sign up.
• Pay attention to air quality alerts.

Make an Emergency Plan

• Make sure everyone in your household knows and understands what to do if you need to quickly evacuate.  
• Don’t forget a plan for the office, kids’ daycare and anywhere you frequent. 

Review Important Documents

• Make sure your insurance policies and personal documents, like ID, are up to date.
• Make copies and keep them in a secure password-protected digital space.

Strengthen your Home

• Use fire-resistant materials to build, renovate or make repairs.
• Find an outdoor water source with a hose that can reach any area of your property.
• Create a fire-resistant zone that is free of leaves, debris or flammable materials for at least 30 feet from your home.
• Designate a room that can be closed off from outside air. Close all doors and windows. Set up a portable air cleaner to keep indoor pollution levels low when smoky conditions exist.

Know your Evacuation Zone

• You may have to evacuate quickly due to a wildfire. Learn your evacuation routes, practice with household, pets and identify where you will go.
• Follow the instructions from local authorities. They will provide the latest recommendations based on the threat to your community and appropriate safety measures.

Gather Supplies

• Have enough supplies for your household, including a first aid kit, in your go bag or car trunk.
  • Being prepared allows you to avoid unnecessary excursions and to address minor medical issues at home, alleviating the burden on urgent care centers and hospitals.
  • Remember that not everyone can afford to respond by stocking up on necessities. For those who can afford it, making essential purchases and slowly building up supplies in advance will allow for longer time periods between shopping trips.
• Be cautious when carrying flammable or combustible household products that can cause fires or explosions if handled wrong, such as aerosols, cooking oils, rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizer.
• If available, store an N95 mask to protect yourself from smoke inhalation.
• Keep your cell phone charged when wildfires could be in your area. Purchase backup charging devices to power electronics.

Stay Safe During

• Pay attention to emergency alerts and notifications for information and instructions.

• Evacuate immediately if authorities tell you to do so!
  • Check with local authorities for the latest information about public shelters or check open locations on the FEMA app. You can also download the free Red Cross Emergency app for a list of open Red Cross shelters in your area.
  • Consider making plans with friends or family to shelter with them where you may be safer and more comfortable.

• If trapped, call 9-1-1 and give your location, but be aware that emergency response could be delayed or impossible. Turn on lights to help rescuers find you.

• Use an N95 mask to protect yourself from smoke inhalation or limit your exposure to smoke by doing the following:
  • Choose a room to close off from outside air and set up a portable air cleaner or filter to keep the air in this room clean even when it’s smoky in the rest of the building and outdoors.
  • Use high efficiency filters in your central air conditioning system to capture fine particles from smoke. If your system has fresh air intake, set the system to “recirculate” mode and close the outdoor intake damper.
  • If you are not ordered to evacuate but smoky conditions exist, stay inside in a safe location or go to a community building where smoke levels are lower.

• If you are sick and need medical attention, contact your healthcare provider for further care instructions and shelter in place, if possible.

Returning Home After a Wildfire

• Do not return home until authorities say it is safe to do so.
• Avoid hot ash, charred trees, smoldering debris and live embers. The ground may contain heat pockets that can burn you or spark another fire.
• When cleaning, wear protective clothing – including a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, work gloves and sturdy thick-soled shoes – during clean-up efforts.
• Use a respirator to limit your exposure, and wet debris to minimize breathing dust particles. People with asthma, COPD and/or other lung conditions should take precautions in areas with poor air quality, as it can worsen symptoms.
• Document property damage with photographs. Conduct an inventory and contact your insurance company for assistance.
• Send text messages or use social media to reach out to family and friends. Phone systems are often busy following a disaster. Make calls only in emergencies.