California evacuation prep
California Wildfire
Prepare a California wildfire go-bag and home kit sized to your family, pets, smoke exposure, and evacuation timeline.
Best for
A wildfire kit should be ready to leave in minutes, not spread across closets and kitchen shelves.
What this page covers
Wildfire kits work best when they move early with the right essentials instead of depending on a large home stash alone. That means a strong wildfire checklist goes beyond canned food and batteries. Most households also need a faster document plan, clearer communication habits, and a simple way to keep the highest-priority items together instead of scattered across rooms.
Good first action
Group masks, chargers, prescriptions, keys, and documents together so one pickup covers the highest-risk items.
Build your family checklist
Five-minute setup for a household-sized emergency supply plan.
How this checklist helps
Wildfire kits work best when they move early with the right essentials instead of depending on a large home stash alone. That means a strong wildfire checklist goes beyond canned food and batteries. Most households also need a faster document plan, clearer communication habits, and a simple way to keep the highest-priority items together instead of scattered across rooms.
California households benefit from planning around timing as much as item count. Build the 72-hour baseline first, then add the evacuation and smoke layer that matches this hazard. Use the generator above to size quantities by family members, pets, and vehicles, and use the sample list below as a static planning model you can print or compare.
Static sample
Sample four-person three-day wildfire kit
This version adds smoke protection and evacuation speed to a standard household emergency baseline.
| Item | Quantity | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 12 gallons | A four-person household using the standard one gallon per person per day baseline for three days. |
| Shelf-stable meals and snacks | 36 meal equivalents | Three meal equivalents per day for four people, using foods that are easy to serve during an outage. |
| Flashlights or lanterns | 4 | Enough light for bedrooms, bathrooms, and a shared living area during a night outage. |
| Battery or hand-crank radio | 1 | A backup way to receive alerts when power, Wi-Fi, or mobile charging becomes unreliable. |
| First aid kit | 1 household kit | Stock the basics first, then add allergy medicine, child-safe medications, and other family-specific items. |
| Phone chargers and backup battery | 1 household set | Helps keep communication, maps, and emergency contact access available during disruptions. |
| N95 masks | 8 | Two per person gives the household a simple starting point for evacuation and smoky return trips. |
| Protective goggles | 4 | Useful for ash, eye irritation, and short outdoor transitions when smoke is heavy. |
| Pet carrier or leash-ready setup | 1 per pet | Pet movement slows down fast if transport gear is not already staged by the exit. |
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