Why a wildfire kit is different
A wildfire kit is an evacuation kit. Unlike a storm you can watch for days, a wildfire notice can come with very little lead time.
So the question worth asking is simple. If an evacuation notice came tonight, could your family be out the door in ten minutes? With a packed kit by the exit, the answer is yes.
The measure of a wildfire kit isn't how much it holds. It's whether you can pick it up and go.
Wildfire readiness isn't just for mountain cabins anymore. According to the USDA Forest Service, about one in three American homes now sits in the wildland-urban interface, the zone where neighborhoods meet natural landscapes. If your street backs onto open space, foothills, or forest, a packed kit belongs in your home the same way a smoke detector does.
Which kit fits your household
Every family kit here is a portable backpack with 72 hours of essentials. US Coast Guard-approved food rations, drinking water plus a way to treat more, first aid, light, emergency shelter, and an AM/FM weather band radio.
- Guardian Go Bag: our most complete family option. Sized for 2 or 4 people, with the deepest water supply.
- RapidShield: the same 72-hour foundation, plus safety goggles. Welcome protection from ash and airborne debris.
What to add to any wildfire kit
No pre-packed kit sold anywhere is wildfire-complete. Ours included. We'd rather tell you plainly than let you assume a packed backpack covers everything.
- N95 respirators, one for everyone old enough to wear one. Look for a NIOSH marking and two straps rather than ear loops, since ear-loop masks cannot seal well enough to filter smoke. Cloth and dust masks do not work for fine particles, and respirators are not made in child sizes. An adult small usually fits a child around age seven or older. Below that, the protection is filtered indoor air and leaving early. Not sure whether a mask is genuine? Here is how to check.
- Safety goggles. Ash irritates eyes quickly. The RapidShield contains goggles.
- Burn care supplies. A standard first aid kit treats wounds, not burns.
- Plastic sheeting and painter's tape, for sealing one room if you can't leave. Set your HVAC to recirculate at the same time.
- A fire-resistant document pouch for originals you can't replace.
- A printed evacuation map with two routes marked in advance. Phones and cell towers both fail.
Fire officials like the Colorado Springs Fire Department also recommend the 6 P's: people and pets, papers, prescriptions, pictures, personal computers, and plastic. No pre-packed kit can include those for you. That's exactly why ours are designed with room for them.
Don't leave your pets behind
Many emergency shelters can't accept animals. Our Bark Out and Purr-Prepared kits keep your dog or cat fed, watered, and documented, so they can leave with you.
One thing worth knowing: respirators don't work on animals. The only real protection is bringing pets indoors early, before air quality drops. Watch for coughing, watery eyes, or reluctance to move. Older pets and flat-faced breeds are affected soonest.
Your pets are part of the household. The plan should include them.
How much warning will I get before a wildfire evacuation?
It varies widely, which is the whole argument for packing ahead. Some households get days of pre-evacuation notice as a fire moves toward them. Others get a knock on the door. Many fire agencies use a three-stage system, often called Ready, Set, Go, where Ready means prepare now, Set means be packed and alert, and Go means leave immediately. A kit that is already by the door means you only ever have to handle the last stage.
Do I need a separate kit for every type of emergency?
No. The 72-hour foundation is largely the same whether the emergency is fire, flood, or a long power outage, so one good kit covers most of what your family will face. What changes is the small stuff at the edges. Wildfire calls for N95 respirators and a paper map with your routes marked. Winter storms call for extra warmth. Start with one solid kit, then add the scenario-specific pieces for whatever is most likely where you live.
Where should I store my wildfire kit?
By the door you would actually leave through, not in the garage or basement. A kit you have to go looking for during an evacuation is a kit that gets left behind. If your household has two vehicles and two drivers, consider one kit near the main exit and a second in a vehicle. Check both twice a year, at the same time you change your smoke detector batteries, and swap anything past its date.
