Blogging for Change

How to Prepare for a Wildfire

by Jesse Campbell on
10/27/2025
in Housing and Homeownership
Woman looking out window of home.

Wildfire season in California seems to grow longer and more unpredictable every year. When these disasters threaten homes and communities, the last thing anyone wants to worry about is money. Having a plan in place can make all the difference when disaster strikes.

Here’s how to financially prepare for wildfires so you can protect your safety, your home, and your financial well-being.

Build an emergency fund you can access quickly

When a wildfire hits, you may need to leave your home at a moment’s notice. That often means you’ll have to cover unexpected costs including lodging, food, fuel, and temporary supplies. Having a set wildfire emergency plan in place ahead of time can help you prepare. This includes building a dedicated wildfire emergency fund, ensuring you can act quickly without relying on credit cards or waiting for an insurance payout.

Additionally, your insurance coverage may not cover everything, and reimbursements can take time. An emergency fund bridges those gaps, so you can focus on what matters most: keeping your family safe.

If you’re struggling to start saving, try small, consistent steps. Automate a transfer from your paycheck directly into savings, so you’re building your fund without having to think about it. Don’t worry about a strict monthly target; set aside whatever you can. Even a few dollars at a time adds up, and having some savings is far better than having none when disaster strikes.

Learn more about how to build savings.

Plan ahead for disasters

Financial preparedness goes hand-in-hand with physical safety. If you live in a wildfire-prone area, consider having a wildfire emergency plan before the next fire season:

  • Build a wildfire emergency fund that can cover at least six months of essential expenses, if possible.
  • Review your insurance coverage and make sure you’re protected against wildfire losses.
  • Safeguard important documents (such as the deed for your home if you own it, your will, passport, and titles for cars, etc.).
  • Create a home inventory so you can show what you own if you need to file a claim.
  • Develop a household evacuation plan. Know where to go and who’s responsible for what.
  • Keep a “go bag” with essentials such as medications, identification, cash, food, and pet supplies.

Taking these steps early means you can act quickly and confidently if a wildfire nears your home. For more information about how to prepare for a wildfire overall, read more from The American Red Cross.

Ensure you have wildfire insurance coverage

One of the most important steps in wildfire preparation is understanding your insurance policy. Many homeowners assume their coverage automatically includes wildfire damage, but that’s not always the case.

Check your policy for which “perils” you’re covered against. A covered peril is an event, such as a fire, lightning, or theft that your insurer will reimburse you for (minus your deductible). In high-risk areas, however, wildfire or brushfire damage may be excluded from your policy. Look for language such as “excludes loss due to wildfire, forest fire, or brush fire.” If it’s excluded, you’ll need to purchase separate wildfire insurance coverage.

If private insurance companies have denied or dropped coverage in your area, you may qualify for the California FAIR Plan, a last-resort insurance option that provides fire coverage when traditional insurers won’t.

You might also be underinsured if:

  • Your dwelling coverage limit is less than the current cost to rebuild your home.
  • You’ve renovated but never updated your policy.
  • You don’t have extended replacement cost or ordinance/law coverage (which pays for code upgrades during rebuilding).

Review your coverage with your insurance agent to help identify gaps.

Safeguard important financial documents

Wildfires can destroy homes and everything inside them, including vital financial and identification documents. Protecting these items ahead of time can make recovery much smoother.

Store hard copies of key records in a fireproof and waterproof safe, and keep digital backups in secure, encrypted cloud storage. Important documents include:

  • Identification (driver’s license, passport, Social Security card)
  • Property records (deeds, mortgage documents, vehicle titles)
  • Insurance policies
  • Bank account information
  • Birth, marriage, and death certificates

If you lose documents in a fire, replacement is possible:

  • Driver’s license or state ID: Contact your DMV.
  • Social Security card: Visit SSA.gov or call 1-800-772-1213.
  • Passport: Report it lost and apply for a replacement through the U.S. Department of State.
  • Home deed or mortgage: Reach out to your county recorder’s office.
  • Vital records: Contact your state’s vital records office. Fee waivers often apply in federally declared disaster areas.
  • Vehicle titles: Your DMV or lender can provide duplicates.

Create a fire evacuation plan

A good evacuation plan includes more than just an escape route. Make sure your family knows:

  • Where to meet if you’re separated
  • Which roads to take and which to avoid
  • Who’s responsible for pets, medications, and important documents
  • How to communicate if cell service goes down

Keep at least one credit card, some cash, and your insurance and ID documents in your go-bag. You’ll thank yourself later for thinking ahead.

Financial recovery after a wildfire

Recovering from a wildfire can take time and money. Even with good insurance, out-of-pocket expenses, delays, and paperwork can be overwhelming. Federal and state wildfire emergency resources like Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Small Business Association disaster loans, and local nonprofit assistance can help you rebuild, but it’s also important to reassess your overall financial picture.

If you’re dealing with disrupted income, debt, or rebuilding costs, you don’t have to face it alone. Money Management International offers free, confidential financial counseling 24/7, online and by phone.

We’ll help you take stock of your expenses and debts, connect you with local recovery resources, and create a realistic plan to get back on your feet. Because even after disaster strikes, there’s always a way forward.

Tagged in Disaster recovery, Helpful resources

Jesse Campbell photo.

Jesse Campbell is the Content Manager at MMI, with over ten years of experience creating valuable educational materials that help families through everyday and extraordinary financial challenges.

Recommended Articles

Man sitting in front of pile of bills, trying to understand his options.
Professional Budget Advice
Make the most of every dollar and start building toward your dreams! Budget counseling is FREE and available 24/7.
Learn More
Learn more
  • Better Business Bureau A+ rating Better Business Bureau
    MMI is proud to have achieved an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), a nonprofit organization focused on promoting and improving marketplace trust. The BBB investigates charges of fraud against both consumers and businesses, sets standards for truthfulness in advertising, and evaluates the trustworthiness of businesses and charities, providing a score from A+ (highest) to F (lowest).
  • Financial Counseling Association of America Financial Counseling Association of America
    MMI is a proud member of the Financial Counseling Association of America (FCAA), a national association representing financial counseling companies that provide consumer credit counseling, housing counseling, student loan counseling, bankruptcy counseling, debt management, and various financial education services.
  • Trustpilot Trustpilot
    MMI is rated as “Excellent” (4.9/5) by reviewers on Trustpilot, a global, online consumer review platform dedicated to openness and transparency. Since 2007, Trustpilot has received over 116 million customer reviews for nearly 500,000 different websites and businesses. See what others are saying about the work we do.
  • Department of Housing and Urban Development - Equal Housing Opportunity Department of Housing and Urban Development
    MMI is certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide consumer housing counseling. The mission of HUD is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD provides support services directly and through approved, local agencies like MMI.
  • Council on Accreditation Council On Accreditation
    MMI is proudly accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA), an international, independent, nonprofit, human service accrediting organization. COA’s thorough, peer-reviewed accreditation process is designed to ensure that organizations like MMI are providing the highest standard of service and support for clients and employees alike.
  • MMI is a proud member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) National Foundation for Credit Counseling
    MMI is a longstanding member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling® (NFCC®), the nation’s largest nonprofit financial counseling organization. Founded in 1951, the NFCC’s mission is to promote financially responsible behavior and help member organizations like MMI deliver the highest-quality financial education and counseling services.