Wildfire Safety & Home Readiness

New Mexico summers bring wildfire risk to our forests, bosque areas, and wooded pockets of the city. Residents with asthma, allergies, or heart and lung conditions should take extra care — stay indoors with windows and doors closed if smoke is nearby, keep respiratory medications on hand, and consider staying with family outside the fire zone if conditions worsen.

Homes near forested or bosque areas can be harder for emergency crews to reach. Keep a defensible space of about 30 feet around your home clear of dead brush, excess trees, and other flammable material, and make sure driveways are accessible for emergency vehicles.

If a wildfire threatens your area, evacuating early is the safest choice. Build a family fire plan that includes evacuation routes, a backup way to reach family members if power and cell service go down, a shelter-in-place option if evacuation isn't possible, and face masks on hand to protect against smoke.

Build a Home Readiness Kit

A basic emergency kit should cover your household for at least three days. Suggested categories:

• Water: one gallon per person per day, in sealed containers, rotated every six months.
• Food: non-perishable items, a manual can opener, and pet food if needed.
• Clothing: a change of clothes, rain gear, sturdy shoes, and gloves.
• Supplies: battery radio, flashlight, extra batteries, matches, and duct tape.
• Sleep & Warmth: blankets or sleeping bags.
• Medical: first aid kit, prescriptions, and basic over-the-counter remedies.
• Money: cash and a credit card on hand.
• Back-ups: a spare set of glasses, contacts, and car keys.
• Special Needs: baby, elderly, or medical-device supplies specific to your household.
• Information: physician contacts, insurance info, and details on any medical devices.

Tip: keep this checklist on your refrigerator so it's easy to reference and update.