Wildfire Preparedness Guide for Pacific Northwest Residents: What to Do Before the Season Peaks

May is Wildfire Awareness Month, and with the Pacific Northwest on track for an above-normal fire season this year, fire agencies and emergency managers are asking residents in fire-prone communities to take preparedness steps now — before conditions reach their peak in July and August.

Know Your Risk and Your Zone

The first step in wildfire preparedness is understanding your location's fire risk and your evacuation zone designation. Most Oregon and Washington counties use a three-level evacuation system:

Level 1 — Be Ready: A wildfire is in the area. Be aware, monitor local information sources, and be prepared to leave on short notice.
Level 2 — Be Set: A wildfire is threatening your area. Prepare to leave immediately, and be ready to evacuate if conditions change. Vulnerable populations should leave now.
Level 3 — Go Now: Leave immediately. Do not wait. This is a life-safety order.

Find your county's evacuation zone map at your county emergency management website. Oregon residents can also check Ready.oregon.gov. Washington residents can visit mil.wa.gov/emergency-management-division for statewide resources.

Build Your Defensible Space

Defensible space is the area around your home where vegetation has been cleared or modified to slow a fire's approach. Oregon and Washington fire agencies recommend:

Zone 1 (0–30 feet from structures): Remove dead plants, leaves, and debris. Keep grass mowed short. Space trees and shrubs so fire cannot easily travel between them.
Zone 2 (30–100 feet from structures): Cut or mow annual grasses down to 4 inches. Create horizontal spacing between shrubs and trees. Remove low tree branches within 6 to 10 feet of the ground.

Defensible space is also what allows firefighters to safely protect your home when a fire approaches.

Prepare Your Go-Bag

When a Level 2 or Level 3 evacuation is called, you may have minutes — not hours — to leave. Prepare a go-bag in advance with at least 72 hours of supplies:

Prescription medications and copies of prescriptions
Important documents (ID, insurance policies, deeds, bank account information) in a waterproof container
Phone charger and a portable battery pack
Change of clothing and sturdy shoes
Cash in small bills
Water and non-perishable food
First-aid kit
N95 masks for smoke

Plan for Pets and Livestock

Animals are one of the most common reasons people delay evacuation and put themselves in danger. Plan ahead:

Identify a pet-friendly shelter or hotel along your evacuation route
Have carriers, leashes, and food ready to load quickly
For livestock, identify where you will take animals and how quickly you can trailer them. If evacuation might happen quickly, consider early voluntary evacuation of large animals when a Level 1 notice is issued.

Stay Informed

Sign up for emergency alerts in your county — most systems are free and send alerts by phone, text, and email. Follow your local Oregon Department of Forestry district, Washington DNR, and U.S. Forest Service social media accounts for real-time fire information. The NWS fire weather forecast is updated daily at weather.gov/fire.