Who Should Prepare?

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The fun thing about natural disasters is that you never know when they’re coming. They’re the spontaneous friend! If you have everything ready beforehand, you won’t even have to think when Little Miss Wildfire is at your door and ready to party.

evacuation and panic South Park GIF
Randy Marsh: the OG Little Miss Panic

Speed is essential in the event of a wildfire. If you’re not prepared, you’ll panic and waste travel time gathering the essentials you need to evacuate. If Little Miss Panic shows up at the door with Little Miss Wildfire, you’re boned! Studies have shown that staying calm during an emergency can save lives. If you’re prepared when disaster strikes, you won’t be flustered and can safely remove yourself and your family from danger.

That said, if you live in a houseboat in Vancouver, you are probably wise enough to know that other people are at greater risk for this particular disaster. People living in high-risk (dry, warm, and windy) areas should absolutely, definitely, no-questions-asked be ready for a wildfire. Californians, I’m looking at you!

wildfire preparation: Person in a forest

This person has assessed their risk of wildfire as HIGH, and has preemptively dressed as a ghost to limit confusion in the event of a catastrophe.

In case you were feeling good about your state’s great weather and need to be reminded that the sun is a vengeful god, here are the top five most at-risk states for wildfires:

  • California – 2,054,900 properties at risk
  • Texas – 717,800 properties at risk
  • Colorado – 373,900 properties at risk
  • Arizona – 242,200 properties at risk
  • Idaho – 175,000 properties at risk

The mathletes among us will have noticed that California is by far the most wildfire-prone state in the US, with well over double the number of at-risk properties than the second-riskiest state, Texas. If you live in any of these states (especially California or Texas), you must be prepared for a wildfire.

Let’s get started by planning things out.

About the Authors

It takes a village! We are researching, writing and fact checking as a family. Collaboration is the name of the game, whether we’re running from a zombie horde or finding the best way to turn a complex concept into a deliciously digestible set of bullet points.

Katherine Esperanza is a Los Angeles based writer. When she's not conjuring new queer slice-of-life short stories, she's busy watching the newest films, out at queer shows, supporting queer artists, or just checking out the queer community as a whole.

A former international non-profiteer, small business owner, and co-op'er, Katherine is delighted to help introduce more leftist politics into the disaster preparedness/prepper sphere, which is currently far too right-wing.