If you have to run from a wildfire in NC, here’s what to pack in your evacuation kit
It’s been a bad year already for wildfires in North Carolina, with fires in Polk County surpassing 6,000 acres this week and the N.C. Forest Service issuing a statewide open-burning ban.
With most of the state overly dry and spring breezes blowing, fires still can start from downed power lines or lightning strikes and can spread quickly, threatening whole communities.
If you need to evacuate to get out of the way of a wildfire, it will help to have a kit ready.
What goes into a fire evacuation kit?
The Institute for Business and Home Safety’s guide to preparing for wildfires says your evacuation kit should include:
▪ At least a three-day supply of drinking water
▪ Three days of food that needs no refrigeration and generally, no cooking. If you must have food that requires cooking, bring emergency cooking equipment such as a portable camp stove.
▪ A portable NOAA weather radio, or weather apps on a mobile phone set to alert in case of severe weather
▪ First-aid supplies
▪ Medications
▪ Flashlight, battery-operated lantern and batteries
▪ Basic tools such a wrench and screwdriver
▪ Work gloves
▪ Credit cards and cash
▪ Important documents such as insurance policies
Be sure to keep the kit where it’s easy to reach.
I live in the city. Is there really a risk of wildfire?
Yes. The N.C. Forest Service says increased development over the past several decades have put a large number of homes and communities into the “wildland/urban interface,” where homes and businesses meet undeveloped wildland vegetation.
Under the right conditions, a wildfire that occurs in the undeveloped area can quickly spread to the developed area.
According to the Forest Service:
▪ North Carolina is No. 1 in the nation in the number of acres in the Wildland Urban Interface, with 13.4 million acres of the state’s total 33.7 million acres, or 39.8%.
▪ North Carolina is No. 4 in the nation for number of homes in the WUI: 2.2 million homes of the total 4.3 million homes, or 51.9%. More than 75% of the homes in the WUI are seasonal or second homes, the Forest Service says.
▪ North Carolina is No. 4 in the nation for the number of people in the WUI: 4.8 million of its 9.5 million residents, or 50.7%.
How can I protect my home against wildfire?
The National Fire Prevention Association offers tips for safeguarding your home against wildfire. These are steps to take before a fire is spreading.
If you’re told to evacuate, take your emergency kit and go.
In the meantime, the NFPA says, deal with fire hazards around your home by dividing your property into three zones: immediate, intermediate and extended. The immediate zone is up to 5 feet from the house. Intermediate is 5 to 30 feet from the house and extended is 30 feet to 100 feet from the house.
▪ In the immediate zone, the NFPA says,
Clear the roof and gutters of dead leaves and debris that could catch fire.
Move any flammable materials away from the house, such as firewood, mulch, dry leaves and needles. Remove anything flammable from under decks and porches.
Repair window screens and cover attic vents with metal screening to prevent embers from passing through.
▪ In the intermediate zone:
Clear vegetation from under stationary propane tanks.
Create fuel breaks with driveways, walkways and paths
Keep lawns and native grasses mowed to 4 inches
Place or trim trees so that mature canopy is no closer than 10 feet to the edge of the house.
▪ In the extended zone:
Dispose of heavy accumulations of yard debris and dead plant and tree material (but not by open burning as there is a statewide ban).
Trees 30 to 60 feet from the house should have at least 12 feet between canopy tops to prevent fire spread between them. Trees 60 to 100 feet from the house need 6 feet between the canopy.
This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 12:54 PM.
