Canadian wildfires are a growing threat in many regions, becoming increasingly frequent and severe and making it essential to know how to prepare for and survive these dangerous events. At Craze Outdoors, we are dedicated to helping you stay safe and prepared for any emergency. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you stay safe before, during, and after a wildfire.
1. UNDERSTANDING THE RISK
Before taking any action, it’s crucial to understand the risk of wildfires in your area. Consult local resources such as government websites and fire departments to learn about the wildfire risk level and history in your community. Familiarize yourself with the warning signs and the terminology used in wildfire alerts.
➕ RedCross: Canadian Wildfires: Information & Facts
🔥 Alberta Emergency Alerts and Orders
🔥 BC Emergency Alerts and Orders
2. PREPARING YOUR HOME
Preparing your home in advance can significantly reduce the risk of damage from a wildfire. Here are some steps to take:
👉🏽 Create a Defensible Space: Clear flammable vegetation and other materials from at least 30 feet around your home. This helps slow down the spread of fire and provides firefighters with a safer area to work.
👉🏽 Use Fire-Resistant Materials: Build or remodel using fire-resistant materials for roofing, siding, and decking. Metal, tile, and fire-treated wood are good options.
👉🏽 Clean Gutters and Roof: Remove leaves, needles, and other debris from gutters and rooflines to prevent them from igniting.
👉🏽 Install Spark Arresters: Ensure that your chimney and stovepipe have spark arresters to prevent embers from escaping.
👉🏽 Keep Tools Handy: Have basic fire-fighting tools such as hoses, buckets, shovels, and rakes readily available.
3. CREATING AN EMERGENCY PLAN
An emergency plan is vital for ensuring everyone in your household knows what to do in the event of a wildfire:
🚒 Evacuation Routes: Identify multiple evacuation routes from your home and community. Practice these routes regularly with your family.
🌪️ Emergency Kit: Prepare an emergency kit with essentials such as water, non-perishable food, medications, first aid supplies, important documents, and a flashlight. Store this kit in an easily accessible location.
🆘 Communication Plan: Establish a communication plan to keep in touch with family members. Ensure everyone knows how to contact each other and where to meet if separated. Consider using emergency radios and walkie talkies from Craze Outdoors to stay connected and prepared in various situations.
🏡 Home Fire Evacuation: Determine the best ways to evacuate your home in case of an emergency such as a home fire. Make sure adults and older children know where fire extinguishers, water, electric, and gas utilities are located.
📍 Emergency Kit Location: Make sure everyone in the house knows the location of your emergency kit.
🗺️ Meeting Place: Establish a safe place for your family to meet outside your home and outside your neighbourhood.
🐶 Pet Evacuation: Include a plan for evacuating your pets.
🧑🏾🦽 Special Needs: If a member of your family has special needs that would require extra assistance, include those details in your family emergency plan and emergency kit.
🏬 Workplace and Community Plans: Know the plans for your workplace, school, community centre, etc., in the event a disaster happens when you are not at home
4. KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD.
Working with your neighbours can enhance your preparedness:
- Identify People Needing Extra Help: Work with your neighbours to identify people who may need extra help during an emergency or who you can turn to for help.
- Community Plan: Identify your community’s emergency plan. You can often find this information on your local municipal website.
- Emergency Shelters: Identify where emergency shelters are located. For Alberta, you can find shelter information on the Alberta Emergency Management.
- Local Information: In the event of a disaster, listen to local radio and television. If local officials or community leaders ask you to evacuate your neighbourhood, follow the routes and go to the location specified. Do not take shortcuts as they could lead to blocked or dangerous areas.
5. OUT-OF-TOWN EMERGENCY CONTACT
Having an out-of-town contact ensures your family can communicate even if local lines are down:
- Contact Person: Plan for each family member to call or e-mail the same out-of-town contact person in case of an emergency.
- Choose Wisely: Choose an out-of-town contact that lives far enough away that he or she will not have been affected by the same event.
- Share Contact Info: Ensure that you and your family members know or carry the number and e-mail address.
6. DURING AN EVACUATION
If your community is at risk, local authorities will issue communications. They could include information about the threat, the safest evacuation route including where to go to register and receive support and services:
- Notify Others: Let your family and friends know you are evacuating.
- Secure Your Home: Close all windows and doors, move flammable materials away from your house, and turn off utilities if instructed.
- Follow Designated Routes: Use the routes provided by authorities. Avoid shortcuts as they could be unsafe.
- Stay Calm and Drive Safely: Drive with caution and be prepared for heavy traffic and smoke.
7. COMMUNICATING DURING EMERGENCIES
It is possible that you and your loved ones may not be together when an emergency occurs. Normal communication channels may not be available during large disruptions:
- Emergency Contact Cards: Create emergency contact cards for each member of your household.
- Emergency Numbers: Keep emergency numbers in your home (hard copy) and on your personal and work cellphones.
- Group Communication: Create a group text message or group chat on your preferred social media channel to keep everyone connected. Additionally, use emergency radios or walkie talkies to ensure you have a backup method of communication in case mobile networks are unavailable.
- Back-up Power: Have a plan for back-up power for your devices, such as extra batteries, a phone charger for your vehicle, or a solar-powered battery pack with a USB connection.
8. AFTER A WILDFIRE
Once the wildfire has passed, continue to exercise caution:
- Wait for Clearance: Do not return to your home until authorities have declared it safe.
- Check for Hazards: Be cautious of potential hazards such as fallen power lines, unstable structures, and hot spots.
- Document Damage: Take photos and document any damage to your property for insurance claims.
- Seek Support: Reach out to local resources for assistance with recovery and rebuilding efforts. For support services, check the
Wildfires are a formidable natural disaster, but with proper preparation and knowledge, you can greatly increase your chances of staying safe. By creating a defensible space around your home, having an emergency plan, staying informed, and knowing what to do during and after a wildfire, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from harm. At Craze Outdoors, we are committed to helping you stay vigilant and proactive to ensure you are ready for any wildfire emergency. Visit our store.