The economic toll of wildfires has been significant in recent years, and wildfire risk is only increasing for homeowners nationwide.

According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, in the first five months of this year, more than 28,000 wildfires burned over 1.9 million acres across the country.

The Predictive Services unit of the National Interagency Coordination Center notes that this year-to-date number of acres burned is about 112% above the 10-year average.

With wildfires becoming more prevalent, it is crucial to know how to prepare and protect your family, home, car and possessions.

Increasing Risk of Wildfires

A recent report by First Street Foundation found that nearly 72 million U.S. homes are at risk of being damaged by a wildfire.

The First Street Foundation Wildfire Model estimates the risk of wildfire by gauging an area’s weather, accounting for climate change and combustible fuels that can exacerbate wildfires. The wildfire behavior model predicts that by the year 2050, nearly 80 million U.S. homes will have some level of wildfire risk.

Consider these tips to help you prepare for a wildfire.

Review Your Insurance Policies

As part of your wildfire preparation, it’s important to spend some time reviewing your insurance policies to make sure you have adequate coverage in place.

Homeowners insurance

Standard homeowners insurance covers damage by fire, including wildfire. Your policy covers your house, outbuildings like a garage and your belongings—some of which may need to be replaced because of smoke damage. It will also reimburse you for additional living expenses if your home becomes uninhabitable and you need to live somewhere else temporarily.

Call your insurance company to ask how much home insurance you need to protect yourself financially if your house is completely destroyed by fire. You want to make sure your dwelling coverage has kept pace with the changing costs to rebuild your home.

It’s also a good idea to check if you have replacement cost or actual cost value coverage. Replacement cost coverage will pay to replace your belongings with new, similar items, up to your policy limit. Actual cost value will reimburse you for the value of your destroyed items minus depreciation.

Renters and condo insurance

If you rent or live in a condo, your landlord’s insurance or HOA association typically covers damage to the building. But you can’t count on your landlord’s insurance to replace your belongings if a wildfire destroys your unit.

You need renters insurance or condo insurance to cover your personal possessions, from clothing to furniture.

Make a home inventory to determine how much coverage you need. This will also be helpful if you need to file a claim.

Related: How to protect your home in a wildfire

Car insurance

Comprehensive car insurance covers your car for fire damage. This coverage is optional, so it’s a good idea to check with your car insurance company to make sure you have it.

Related: How to protect your car in a wildfire

Life insurance

Consider if you have enough life insurance to financially protect your family in the event of your untimely death (or, if applicable, your partner’s death).

Also, make sure that your life insurance beneficiary information is accurate.

Business insurance

If you are a small business owner, the commercial property coverage included with a standard small business insurance policy covers the physical property of your small business, such as fire damage.

You may want to consider a business owners policy (BOP), which includes business interruption insurance. This coverage would help you recover lost income if your business is unable to open because of a wildfire.

Prepare Your Home for a Wildfire

There is plenty you can do right now to prepare for a potential wildfire.

• When making repairs or renovations to your home, consider using fire-resistant materials.
• Ensure there is a proper water source with an outdoor hose that can reach the entirety of your property.
• Create a fire-resistant zone in your home, devoid of any flammable material, such as leaves or other debris.

Make a Plan for Wildfires

Even if the immediate risk of a wildfire is low, planning in advance can save valuable time and make it easier to spring into action when you have to.

Study evacuation plans

• Check with your local jurisdiction to review your town or city’s evacuation plans.
• Drive the evacuation route in advance to help familiarize yourself with the roads.
• Review your evacuation plan with other members of your household so everyone is on the same page if there is a wildfire in your area.

Make a plan for pets

• Make a plan for evacuating your pet, in case you need to leave in a hurry.
• Pet shelters and boarding facilities may not be open during a wildfire, so consider an alternative plan to care for your pet.
• Create an emergency kit for your pet, including food and water, and medical records.
• If you haven’t already, microchip your pet and make sure your contact information is correct.

Prepare your supplies

Shop in advance so you have what you need on hand. Use this checklist to start creating your evacuation kit.

• Evacuation plan with map
• Respirator to filter out smoke or ash
• Medication for a minimum of seven days
• Portable crib for infants
• Portable crate for animals
• Healthy snacks for three days per person
• Bottled water for three days per person
• Food and water for pets
• Change of clothes
• Eyeglass and contact supply
• Cash and credit cards
• Keys
• First aid kit
• Flashlight
• Battery-powered radio with batteries
• Personal documents (birth certificates, passports, IDs)

Consider special needs

• Children are too young to use respirators, so they will require other accommodations. To help you prepare, the United States Environmental Protection Agency provides a resource for protecting children from wildfire smoke and ash.
• Pregnant women are also susceptible to smoke and ash and require special accommodations when evacuating in a hurry. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide guidance for packing your bag.

What to do During a Wildfire

If you are unable to evacuate before a wildfire, there is still plenty you can do to
stay out of its path and keep your family safe.

Follow the news

• Download the FEMA app, which is free. It will give you real-time notifications from the National Weather Service for up to five different locations. This will allow you to check conditions where you are and where you are going for easier navigation.

Find a shelter

• Text SHELTER to 43362 with your ZIP code to receive a list of nearby shelters.
• Start a list of websites and numbers for the Red Cross and local organizations and officials who may have up-to-date information on shelters in your area.

Keep smoke out

• If you are stuck indoors and cannot escape, go to a room that you can close off from outside air.
• Use a portable air filter to clean the air and remove any smoke coming in from outdoors.

How to Prepare for a Wildfire Frequently Asked Questions