The Nevada Division of Forestry works with cooperators and citizens to help them prepare for wildfires in Nevada, providing important information on wildfire preparedness and prevention.

Before the Wildfire

There is no better time to prepare and practice than before a wildfire occurs. Preparation for wildfire includes addressing the following, which is particularly effective when addressed through the completion or update of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan:

• Community Protection Fuel Breaks
• Defensible Space
• Access and Egress Routes
• Evacuation Plans
• Construction Material Ignitability

During the Wildfire

While first responders would like to suppress every wildfire successfully without the fires negatively impacting people, homes, and communities, the reality is that there can be more or faster travelling wildfires on the landscape than is controllable by the available firefighting resources. It is times like these that every citizen needs to be prepared to stay safe and execute a timely means of evacuating for themselves, family, neighbors, and pets when wildfires threaten an area. Your life and safety depends on you preparing now, practicing soon, and being ready to communicate and execute your plan during the emergency. During the wildfire you should expect and be prepared to deal with the following:

• Notifications and Orders
• Evacuation of People and Pets
• Sheltering in Place
• Abnormal Conditions (dark, hot, windy, smoky, traffic, etc.)
• Sense of Panic

After the Wildfire

Conditions following a fire are unpredictable, and are dependent upon the scale, intensity and locations where the fire burned. If preparations were successful then no or minor impacts to structures, infrastructure, and lives could be expected. Conversely, if steps to prepare for wildfire were not implemented or failed due to the extremity of fire behavior, you can expect that homes, businesses, and possibly lives were lost. You can expect to deal with some or all of the following after your area has been affected by wildfire:

• Restrictions on Re-entry
• Shelter Options for Evacuees
• Seeking Medical Treatment for Injuries
• Inspecting and Re-inspect Homes and Structures for Smoldering Embers
• Hazardous Materials and Conditions (chemicals, heat, ashes, downed power lines, contaminated water, etc.)
• Emotionally Distressed People