Natural Disaster Safety in the Inland Northwest: Preparing Your Home and Family
The Inland Northwest is a beautiful place to call home. Our forests, lakes, mountains, four distinct seasons, and close-knit communities are part of what makes living here so special.
However, the same natural surroundings that make this region extraordinary can also expose our homes and communities to wildfires, heavy smoke, winter storms, flooding, extreme temperatures, and extended power outages.
The recent fires affecting the Spokane area and surrounding communities have been heartbreaking. Families have been displaced, homes and businesses have been lost, and thousands of people have faced the fear and uncertainty of evacuation. As of August 3, 2026, regional fires had forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate and destroyed hundreds of structures.
My heart is with every family, first responder, emergency worker, volunteer, and community member affected.
Although we cannot prevent every natural disaster, we can take practical steps to protect our families, prepare our homes, support our neighbors, and respond more confidently when an emergency occurs.
1. Create a Wildfire Evacuation Plan Before You Need One
Wildfires can move quickly, especially when dry vegetation, high temperatures, and strong winds combine. Ready.gov advises residents in wildfire-prone areas to be prepared to evacuate rapidly and to follow the instructions of local authorities.
A household evacuation plan should include:
At least two possible ways to leave your neighborhood
A designated meeting place outside the affected area
An out-of-area contact whom everyone in the family can call
A plan for children, older adults, people with disabilities, and anyone who may need transportation assistance
Arrangements for pets, livestock, medications, and medical equipment
A written list of important phone numbers
A plan for where you will stay if you cannot immediately return home
Talk through the plan with everyone in your household. Children should know who may pick them up, where the family will meet, and what to do if phone service is unreliable.
Keep your vehicle fueled during periods of elevated fire danger. Park facing the direction you would need to leave, and avoid blocking emergency access routes.
Know your evacuation zone
Kootenai County residents can use the county’s “Know Your Zone” evacuation mapping tool and register for Alert! Kootenai emergency notifications. These systems are intended to help residents receive geographically relevant warnings and evacuation information.
In Idaho, local sheriffs—not the Idaho Department of Lands—are responsible for issuing official evacuation orders. Residents should rely on local law enforcement, emergency management agencies, and verified government sources for evacuation instructions.
Do not wait until flames are visible from your home. When authorities tell you to leave, leave promptly. Delaying can endanger your household and the first responders who may later have to assist you.
2. Prepare an Emergency Go-Bag
A go-bag should contain the items you would need if you had only a few minutes to leave.
Ready.gov recommends maintaining water, nonperishable food, communication equipment, lighting, first-aid supplies, medications, sanitation products, and other essentials. Its basic recommendation includes one gallon of water per person per day for several days.
Consider including:
Bottled water
Nonperishable food and a manual can opener
Prescription medications
A first-aid kit
N95 respirators
Flashlights and extra batteries
A battery-powered or hand-crank radio
Portable phone chargers and charging cables
Copies of identification and insurance information
Cash in small denominations
Extra clothing, sturdy shoes, and work gloves
Toiletries and sanitation supplies
Spare eyeglasses or contact-lens supplies
Infant, older-adult, disability, or medical supplies
Pet food, water, leashes, carriers, and vaccination records
Comfort items for children
A paper map of the area
House and vehicle keys
Store important records in a fire-resistant container when possible. Keep secure digital copies of insurance policies, identification, property records, prescriptions, photographs, and household inventories.
Your kit should reflect your actual household. Someone who relies on refrigerated medication, powered medical equipment, mobility devices, or specialized nutrition will need a more detailed backup plan.
Check the bag every six months. Replace expired food, water, medications, batteries, and outgrown children’s clothing.
3. Protect Your Home Through Defensible Space
Defensible space is the maintained area surrounding a home that helps slow the spread of fire and gives firefighters a safer place to work.
Idaho Firewise recommends creating zones around the home, removing combustible material, managing vegetation, and accounting for slope and surrounding fuels. It notes that the appropriate distance may extend well beyond 100 feet in certain locations and terrain conditions.
Start closest to the house:
Remove dry leaves, pine needles, and debris from roofs, gutters, decks, and porches.
Clear combustible material from the area immediately next to the structure.
Move firewood away from the home.
Trim branches that overhang the roof.
Remove dead vegetation beneath decks and stairs.
Keep grasses cut and vegetation maintained.
Space shrubs and trees to reduce continuous paths of fuel.
Move propane tanks, fuel containers, patio cushions, doormats, and other combustible objects when fire threatens.
Use fire-resistant landscaping and hardscaping where appropriate.
Idaho Firewise specifically recommends reducing combustible materials within the first five feet of a structure and using materials such as rock or pavers instead of flammable mulch near the home.
Defensible space does not guarantee that a house will survive, but it can improve the property’s resilience and make conditions safer for firefighters.
4. Understand Wildfire Smoke and Air Quality
A fire does not need to reach your neighborhood to affect your health. Wildfire smoke can travel long distances and air quality can change considerably throughout the day.
AirNow recommends checking current air-quality conditions and delaying outdoor activity until conditions improve. Its Fire and Smoke Map and mobile app can help residents follow changing smoke conditions.
When smoke is heavy:
Keep windows and exterior doors closed.
Use air conditioning on recirculation when available.
Avoid burning candles, frying food, smoking, or vacuuming if those activities worsen indoor particles.
Run a properly sized portable air cleaner with a HEPA filter.
Replace HVAC filters as recommended and use the highest-efficiency filter your system can safely accommodate.
Create one cleaner-air room where doors and windows remain closed.
Reduce strenuous outdoor activity.
Bring pets indoors when conditions are unhealthy.
Follow medical guidance if you have asthma, heart disease, lung disease, or another condition that increases your risk.
Cloth face coverings do not provide meaningful protection from wildfire smoke particles. A properly fitted N95 respirator can provide better protection when someone must be outdoors, although fit and individual medical circumstances matter.
Pay special attention to children, pregnant people, older adults, outdoor workers, and those with heart or lung conditions. Seek medical help for severe breathing difficulty, chest pain, confusion, fainting, or other urgent symptoms.
5. Prepare for Power Outages
Wildfires, damaged transmission equipment, high winds, falling trees, ice, and heavy snow can all interrupt power service.
Keep these supplies accessible:
Flashlights for every level of the home
Extra batteries
Battery-powered lanterns
Portable phone chargers
A battery-powered or hand-crank radio
Drinking water
Shelf-stable food
A manual can opener
Blankets and warm clothing
A first-aid kit
Required medications
Backup power for essential medical equipment
Carbon-monoxide detectors with battery backup
A thermometer for the refrigerator and freezer
Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible during an outage. Ready.gov also advises that portable generators be operated only outdoors and away from windows.
Never use a generator, charcoal grill, camp stove, or other fuel-burning device inside a home, garage, basement, or enclosed porch. The Red Cross warns that generators and outdoor cooking or heating equipment should never be used indoors because of carbon-monoxide danger.
Unplug sensitive electronics when appropriate to protect them from power surges. Know how to open your garage door manually, and maintain a safe alternative location in case your home becomes dangerously hot or cold.
6. Prepare for Inland Northwest Winter Storms
Winter storms can bring heavy snow, freezing rain, dangerous roads, falling branches, frozen pipes, and extended power outages.
Before winter:
Service your heating system.
Test smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms.
Insulate exposed pipes.
Seal drafts around windows and doors.
Clean chimneys and fireplaces.
Keep snow shovels, ice melt, and traction material available.
Stock food, water, medications, batteries, and pet supplies.
Maintain warm clothing and blankets.
Prepare your vehicle with an emergency kit.
Learn how to shut off your home’s water supply.
Ready.gov warns that winter storms can disrupt heat, power, transportation, and communication services. It also advises against using a gas stove or oven to heat a home during a power outage.
A vehicle winter kit may include:
Blankets
Gloves and hats
Water and snacks
A flashlight
Jumper cables
An ice scraper
A small shovel
Traction material
A phone charger
A first-aid kit
Reflective warning equipment
Avoid unnecessary travel when authorities advise residents to stay off the roads. If you must travel, share your route and expected arrival time with someone.
7. Do Not Overlook Flooding
Flooding in the Inland Northwest can result from heavy rain, rapid snowmelt, blocked drainage systems, ice jams, or overflowing waterways. NOAA notes that floods can develop within minutes or over an extended period and that even relatively shallow water can cause serious damage.
Know whether your property is near a floodplain, drainage route, creek, river, steep slope, or low-lying roadway.
During a flood:
Follow evacuation instructions.
Move to higher ground when directed.
Never drive around barricades.
Do not walk or drive through moving floodwater.
Keep children and pets away from flooded areas.
Do not enter a flooded building until officials say it is safe.
Photograph damage only when it can be done without placing yourself at risk.
Homeowners should also understand that standard homeowners insurance typically treats flood coverage separately. Speak directly with a qualified insurance professional about the coverage applicable to your property.
8. Help Your Neighbors and Community Safely
Disasters can be especially difficult for older adults, people with disabilities, families without transportation, people who live alone, and residents who may not receive or understand emergency alerts.
Before an emergency:
Exchange contact information with trusted neighbors.
Ask whether anyone may need evacuation or transportation assistance.
Include nearby relatives or vulnerable residents in your communication plan.
Help neighbors register for official emergency alerts.
Share verified information rather than rumors or unconfirmed social-media posts.
Make plans for pets and livestock.
Learn about local shelters and community resources.
During and after an emergency:
Follow official instructions so you do not interfere with response operations.
Check on neighbors when it is safe.
Donate money or requested supplies through established organizations.
Avoid dropping off unsolicited items at emergency sites.
Offer temporary housing, meals, transportation, childcare, or pet care only when you can do so safely.
Respect the privacy and dignity of families experiencing loss.
Preparedness is not about fear. It is about giving ourselves, our families, and our neighbors more options when circumstances change quickly.
A Final Word to Our Community
Homes can be repaired and rebuilt, but the emotional impact of displacement and loss can last much longer. To everyone affected by the recent fires: you are not alone, and your community is standing with you.
Please take time this week to register for local alerts, identify your evacuation zone, assemble or update your emergency kit, review your insurance documents, and talk through your family plan.
A few hours of preparation today may make an enormous difference during the next emergency.
This article provides general preparedness information and is not a substitute for instructions from emergency officials, medical professionals, insurance providers, fire departments, or law-enforcement agencies.
Sources
Federal Emergency Management Agency and Ready.gov emergency-planning, wildfire, supply-kit, outage, and winter-weather guidance.
AirNow and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wildfire-smoke and air-quality guidance.
American Red Cross power-outage and winter-storm guidance.
Idaho Firewise home-hardening, landscaping, defensible-space, and evacuation resources.
Kootenai County emergency-alert and evacuation-zone resources.
