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Wildfire Preparation Resources 

Wildfires can be large, fast-moving and dangerous. Even if your area is not directly threatened by a wildfire, the air could be filled with smoke and unhealthy to breathe. Keep yourself and your family safe by preparing for both wildfires and smoke. These resources can help.

Wildfire resources 

San Mateo County’s Wildfire Response website has information about:

  • The latest evacuation orders in the county
  • A list of evacuation centers
  • Current road closures

Also learn how public agencies across San Mateo County are reducing the threat of wildfire in different areas using vegetation removal, planned burns and other preventive measures

CalFire’s Ready For Wildfire website has information and videos on:

  • Creating a wildfire action plan to protect your family and home
  • Current wildfire incidents and how close they are to you
  • Protecting your home with smart landscaping and fire-resistant building materials
  • Signing up for text messages about wildfires near you
  • Returning home safely after a wildfire

FIRE SAFE San Mateo County's website has:

  • A simple guide to help you make a safe evacuation plan
  • Instructions for hardening your home to protect it from direct flame contact and radiant heat
  • Information on creating a 100-foot Defensible Space around your home to help slow or stop the spread of wildfire

The MyHazards website from the Governor's Office of Emergency services:

  • Helps you reduce personal risk for hazards in your area (earthquake, flood, fire and tsunami)
  • Shows the potential threats in your area (enter your address, city and zip code or select your location from a map)
  • Provides advice on how to protect yourself based on the threats where you live

Wildfire smoke resources

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) AirNow websitehas:

  • Information on the current Air Quality Index (AQI) for your area
    • The AQI is what the EPA uses to measure and report air quality
    • It is a scale from 0 (healthiest air) to 500 (most polluted air)
    • It is color-coded into six categories, from green (Good) to maroon (Hazardous) 
  • Maps showing air quality and wildfire activity
  • Information on how smoke can affect your health

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s website has information and videos on:

  • How to keep the air in your home clean
  • Special health concerns related to wildfire smoke
  • What to do during a smoke event

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website has:

  • How to protect yourself from the health impacts of wildfire smoke
  • Symptoms you may have from breathing in wildfire smoke
  • Information about how wildfire smoke can affect pregnant women, children and people with certain chronic conditions