Fire Preparedness Guide: What Pacific Northwest Residents Need to Do Right Now

With fire restrictions already in effect across BLM and National Forest lands in Oregon and Washington, multiple counties declaring early fire seasons, and forecasters warning of an above-normal 2026 fire season, the window to prepare your home and family is now — before a fire is on the horizon.

Know Your Evacuation Zone

Every resident in a fire-prone area should know their evacuation zone level before fire season. Oregon and Washington counties use a tiered system:

Level 1 — Be Ready: Be aware of fire activity. Have emergency supplies prepared. Monitor official sources.
Level 2 — Be Set: Prepare to leave. Gather family, pets, medications, and important documents. Be ready to evacuate immediately.
Level 3 — Go Now: Leave immediately. Do not wait for official orders if you feel threatened.

Sign up for your county's emergency alert system. In Oregon, visit ready.oregon.gov. In Washington, sign up through your county's emergency management office or at AlertSense or Rave Mobile platforms used by individual counties.

Create Defensible Space

Defensible space is the buffer between your home and surrounding vegetation that gives firefighters the best chance to defend the structure — and gives you time to escape. Oregon and Washington both recommend:

Zone 1 (0–30 feet): Remove dead plants, grass, and leaves. Keep lawns mowed. Trim tree branches 6–10 feet from the ground. Remove flammable vegetation near structures.
Zone 2 (30–100 feet): Reduce fuel density. Space trees and shrubs to slow fire spread. Remove ladder fuels that let ground fire climb into tree canopies.
Clear gutters and roofs of pine needles, leaves, and debris — embers landing in gutters are a leading cause of structure ignitions.
Screen attic and crawlspace vents with ember-resistant mesh.

Build a Go-Bag

If you need to evacuate quickly, a pre-packed bag makes all the difference. Include:

Medications (minimum 7-day supply) and medical records
Important documents: insurance, ID, passport, financial records (keep copies in cloud storage too)
Phone charger and battery pack
Cash
Change of clothes for each family member
Food and water for 72 hours
Pet food, crate, and veterinary records
N95 masks for smoke

Stay Informed

During fire season, rely on trusted official sources for the most accurate, up-to-date information:

InciWeb: inciweb.wildfire.gov — official fire incident information
Watch Duty app: Real-time fire tracking and evacuation alerts
NIFC Fire Information: nifc.gov — national situation reports and outlooks
Oregon Emergency Management: oregon.gov/OEM
Washington Emergency Management: mil.wa.gov/emergency-management-division
AirNow: airnow.gov — air quality and smoke conditions

Follow Fire Restrictions

Multiple fire restrictions are already in effect across the Pacific Northwest as of mid-May 2026. Before your next camping trip or outdoor activity on public lands, check current restrictions at:

Central Oregon: centraloregonfire.org
BLM Oregon/Washington: blm.gov/orwafire
Oregon Dept. of Forestry: gisapps.odf.oregon.gov/firerestrictions
USFS Recreation.gov listings and individual forest websites