5 Tips to Prepare for Fire Season in CA

Published August 26, 2025 · Updated September 23, 2026

Wildfire preparation begins before smoke or flames are nearby. The priorities are life safety, an evacuation plan, defensible-space and home-hardening guidance from public authorities, an accessible insurance record, and a practical inventory. The following five steps help households prepare without assuming that every loss or expense will be insured.

Review insurance documents before an emergency

Keep current declarations, the complete policy, endorsements, insurer contact information, and mortgage information together in secure digital and physical locations. Review dwelling, other structures, personal property, additional living expense, deductibles, and important limitations with your insurer or qualified adviser. Ask questions now, when there is time to receive written answers.

Create and practice an evacuation plan

Follow official evacuation orders and local emergency information. Identify more than one exit route, a meeting location, and plans for children, older adults, people with disabilities, pets, and livestock. Decide who will collect medications, documents, and go-bags only if conditions allow. Never delay evacuation to document property.

Build an emergency kit

Ready.gov recommends planning for water, food, medications, lighting, communications, first aid, masks, chargers, cash, and household-specific needs. Keep supplies where they can be reached quickly and review them periodically for expired items and changing needs.

Prepare a go-bag and records

Include identification copies, prescriptions, contact lists, essential chargers, clothing, hygiene items, and copies of insurance information. Store important digital records securely. A home inventory can include room overviews, close-ups of higher-value items, model and serial numbers, receipts when available, and notes about renovations.

Reduce avoidable property risk

Use current CAL FIRE and local fire-agency guidance for defensible space, vegetation management, vents, roofs, decks, access, and home hardening. Requirements and recommendations vary by property and jurisdiction. Hire qualified professionals for work that involves trees, roofs, utilities, or other hazards.

Know what to do after fire or smoke damage

Wait for authorities to say entry is safe. Notify the insurer, photograph conditions without disturbing unsafe areas, keep receipts for necessary temporary expenses, and avoid discarding property before it is documented when safe. Fire, smoke, water used in suppression, debris, contents, and temporary living expenses may require separate records.

A practical annual check

• Update household contacts and evacuation responsibilities
• Refresh the emergency kit and medications
• Photograph each room and major improvement
• Save policy and insurer contacts offline as well as online
• Review CAL FIRE incidents and preparedness resources during active conditions
• Discuss coverage questions with the insurer before a loss

Preparation supports safety and documentation

No checklist can eliminate wildfire risk or guarantee claim coverage. It can make evacuation decisions clearer and preserve information that is difficult to reconstruct after a loss. Public safety directions always take priority over property documentation.