What to Keep in Your Wildfire Emergency Kit

With fire season in full swing for much of the western U.S., preparing well in advance will help in the event of a quick evacuation from a wildfire. 

Your emergency kit should be easily accessible as well as have enough supplies to be away for an extended period. In an ideal situation, each person should have their own emergency supply kit. Backpacks are a perfect vessel to house the bulk of your emergency supplies while also being easy to grab in a moments notice. As for food and water, a plastic tub or container on wheels will help transport non-perishables and jugs of water. However, remember to also keep it light enough that you are able to lift things easily into your car.

As for what to include in your emergency supply kit, here is a list of suggestions:

• At least a three-day supply of non-perishable food 
• At least three gallons of water per person
• At least a three-day supply of pet food and water
• Map of all possible evacuation routes
• Extra clothes
• Eyeglasses as well as contacts
• First aid kit as well as prescriptions
• Extra set of car keys
• Credit cards and cash or checks
• Flashlights and a battery-powered radio with extra batteries
• Copies of important documents

Other items to consider if time permits:

• Light weight and easily carried valuables
• Family photos
• Personal computer information on USB drives, hard drives or disks
• Chargers for different electronics.

Having these items set aside will save you and your loved ones time in the event of an emergency where time is precious.

Source: readyforwildfire.org
--
Image by Mikhail Nilov via pexels.com