Wildfire Preparedness: What Pacific Northwest Residents Need to Do Right Now

The wildfires erupting across southeastern Washington this week are a stark reminder that wildfire season in the Pacific Northwest does not wait for summer to officially begin. With fire weather forecasters projecting an above-normal season and conditions already producing large, fast-moving fires in mid-June, there is no better time than right now for residents across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho to take meaningful preparedness steps.

Defensible Space: Your Home's Best Defense

Research consistently shows that defensible space — the buffer of vegetation management between a home and the surrounding landscape — is one of the most effective tools for improving a home's chance of surviving a wildfire, even without direct firefighter intervention.

Oregon recently released a new model code for defensible space, providing specific guidance on how to space trees, remove dead vegetation, and maintain landscaping to slow the spread of fire. The code uses nationally recognized wildfire safety standards as its foundation.

Key zones to address around your home:

Zone 0 (0–5 feet from structure): The most critical zone. Remove all combustible materials — wood mulch, dead leaves, doormats, propane tanks, and debris from gutters and against the foundation. Research from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety shows that reducing combustibles in this zone can significantly lower the risk of ember ignition.
Zone 1 (5–30 feet): Maintain a lean, clean, and green landscape. Space plants and trees so fire cannot easily ladder from the ground to the crown. Remove dead vegetation and limb trees up at least 6–10 feet from the ground.
Zone 2 (30–100 feet): Reduce fuel density. Remove dead trees and brush, thin tree stands, and mow grass to a low height during fire season.

Home Hardening

Defensible space keeps fire away from your home; home hardening makes the structure itself more resistant to ignition. The Oregon State Fire Marshal's office offers official defensible space assessments — a checklist-based evaluation conducted around your home by trained specialists. Key home hardening steps include:

Install ember-resistant vents (most homes ignite from embers, not flame contact).
Replace wood shake roofing with Class A fire-rated materials.
Install dual-pane windows and screen any openings.
Box in open eaves and seal gaps in siding where embers can lodge.

Prepare Your Household Plan

A wildfire evacuation can happen with little notice — sometimes within minutes during extreme fire weather like the Red Flag Warning currently in effect across eastern Washington. Every household should have:

A go-bag with medications, copies of important documents, cash, phone chargers, a change of clothes, water, and food for at least 72 hours.
Multiple evacuation routes identified and practiced — don't assume you'll be able to use your usual road.
Pet and livestock plans developed in advance — know where you will take animals and have supplies ready.
A communication plan so all household members know where to meet if separated.

Know Your Alert Systems

Sign up for your county's emergency notification system. In Washington, most counties use systems like Alert Sense or Everbridge. In Oregon, OregonAlerts (oregonalerts.gov) connects to county notification systems statewide. These systems send evacuation warnings and orders directly to your phone.

OSU Extension Service programs are also active in several Oregon and Washington counties, offering hands-on workshops where residents can learn defensible space and home hardening techniques with guidance from fire risk reduction specialists.

Act Now — Not Later