Pack a wildfire go bag with essentials you can carry and reach quickly: medicines and medical equipment, identification and key records, a change of clothes and sturdy shoes, basic food and water, phone-charging gear, and supplies for children, older adults, people with access needs, and pets. FEMA organizes evacuation preparation around five priorities: People, Prescriptions, Papers, Personal Needs, and Priceless items. Use that framework to tailor the bag to your household, and leave immediately when local officials direct you to evacuate.
Start with the five priorities
A go bag is a portable set of essentials, not a substitute for a complete household emergency kit. FEMA recommends keeping supplies in a bag or another container that is easy to grab; its family preparedness curriculum emphasizes that the container should be easy to carry. No specific bag brand, capacity, or weight is prescribed. Ready.gov’s emergency kit guidance also describes basic supplies for emergencies.
- People: Plan for everyone in the household, including children, older adults, and anyone with a disability or access or functional need. Add supplies for pets and other animals when it is safe to do so.
- Prescriptions: Bring medicines, relevant dosage information, prescription copies, and essential medical devices and accessories.
- Papers: Gather identification, insurance and property information, medical details, and emergency contacts.
- Personal needs: Pack clothing, shoes, food, water, communications gear, first aid items, and hygiene supplies suited to your household.
- Priceless items: Choose a small number of irreplaceable photographs, mementos, or other valuables in advance. Do not delay evacuation to collect possessions.
Wildfire go-bag checklist
Medicines and medical equipment
- Prescription medicines and necessary nonprescription medicines. FEMA’s educational checklist includes at least a week’s supply; follow your clinician’s guidance and what is practical for your circumstances.
- Copies of prescriptions and a written list of medicines, dosages, and relevant medical information.
- Medical equipment and its power cords, backup batteries, or other essential accessories.
- Eyeglasses, hearing aids, and any supplies required to use or maintain them.
Keep essential health information accessible with the medicines or in your papers. If equipment depends on electricity, account for how it will be powered while away from home.
Identification and important records
- Identification for household members and emergency contact details.
- Insurance, property, and medical records that would be difficult to replace or need to be available during evacuation.
- Paper copies in a portable protective container, with electronic copies as a useful complement where available.
FEMA’s wildfire guidance recommends keeping important home records in a fireproof, waterproof box. That is a storage recommendation for records kept at home; do not assume a small document pouch has those properties unless its specifications support the claim. Prepare records before fire season so you do not have to search for them under pressure.
#1 Best Overall
- Losing body heat is a major cause of death in emergency. The Leberna Emergency Survival Mylar Thermal Sleeping Bag can increase your chances of survival in all weather, all seasons and all circumstances. It is made of durable insulating Mylar material designed by NASA for space exploration. It retains / reflects back 90% of body heat. It is Reusable, waterproof and windproof.
- The Leberna Emergency Survival Mylar Thermal Sleeping Bag is extra large in size, 84 inches in length and 36 inches in width. It has a bright black strip on the edge for high visibility. It is intended as an emergency shelter, but it is also great for camping, hiking, and protection from the cold outdoors.
- The Leberna Emergency Survival Mylar Thermal Sleeping Bag comes with two packs. Each pack has its own carry bag with draw string. Each pack weight only 2.8 oz (3.0 oz with the carry bag). Each pack is 7 inches by 3 inches. It is very light weight and easy to carry and store in your car, back pack or in your emergency kit.
- Upgraded head cover is 21 inches wide. Bivy sack will allow you to cover your head completely. Leberna Emergency Sleeping Bag really keep your whole body warm! 120 Decibel whistle can be used for help during emergency.
- For customers who have never purchased a Mylar Thermal Sleeping Bag or Blanket, it is very important to know that the Mylar material is very thin. It is how it is designed by NASA for space exploration. So even though the size of the sleeping bag or blanket is big, they can be folded into a very small size.
Clothing, food, water, and hygiene
- A change of clothing suited to the likely conditions and sturdy shoes that are ready to wear.
- Food and water for immediate needs, plus any items required by children or others in your household.
- Basic first aid supplies and personal hygiene items.
- Cash and other personal essentials that may be useful if normal services are disrupted.
Choose quantities and items around the people who will use them and the space you can safely carry. This bag is meant for a quick departure, not to hold every supply your household might need during a prolonged disruption.
Phone, charging, and alerts
- A charged phone and a charging option, such as an extra battery, car charger, or hand-crank charger.
- Charging cables and any adapters needed by household devices.
- A way to receive local emergency information, such as official alerts on your phone.
Ready.gov recommends planning for alternative phone charging during outages. FEMA says its app can provide preparedness information, real-time weather and emergency alerts, and nearby shelter information; capabilities may change. Use official local instructions as the authority for whether and when to evacuate.
Rank #2
- BLUE SEVENTY-TWO EMERGENCY BACKPACKS ALL COME STANDARD WITH: 1 x Triple-Pocket Reinforced Grab-N-Go Backpack; 1 x Pack of Food Bars – 2,400 calories (5 year shelf life); 5 x 4.22 oz. emergency drinking water pouches (5 year shelf life); 1 x Mask; 1 x 36 piece First Aid Emergency Kit; 1 x Emergency Whistle/Compass Combo; 1 x Battery-free crank flashlight; 1 x Tissue Pack; 1 x Emergency Blanket; and 1 x Emergency Rain Poncho
- PERFECT PREPARATION KIT FOR NATURAL DISASTERS: This Backpack emergency kit is perfect to help you stay prepared in the case of the following emergencies or natural disasters: Hurricanes, Wildfires, Floods, Tornadoes, Earthquakes or even Power Outages. Be prepared with the Blue 72 Emergency Backpack Kit.
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Pets and other animals
- Food and water, plus any needed medication.
- A leash or harness, sanitation supplies, and grooming items appropriate to the animal.
- A sturdy carrier or crate and familiar items that may help the animal during transport.
Adapt the list to the animal and your evacuation arrangements. Keep animal supplies together so they can be collected without delaying departure.
Children and individual access needs
Customize the bag instead of relying on a generic checklist. Include items that help each person communicate, move, eat, stay comfortable, or manage a health condition during evacuation. Consider the needs of older adults, young children, and anyone who relies on mobility aids, assistive devices, caregivers, or routine medical supplies.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #3
- Emergency preparedness for one person: A portable backpack containing food, drinking water, first aid, lighting, tools and personal care supplies for an emergency plan.
- Food and water supplies: Includes one 2,400-calorie food bar, three 4.225-ounce drinking water pouches, water purification tablets and a 32-ounce water bottle.
- First aid and lighting: Includes a 33-piece first-aid kit and a hand-crank flashlight, with the other supplies packed together in the backpack.
- Tools and shelter supplies: Includes a multi-function pocket tool, 5-in-1 survival whistle, emergency poncho, survival blanket and waterproof matches.
- Personal care and portable storage: Includes a hygiene kit, bio-hazard bag, two nitrile gloves and one dust mask. Keep the backpack at home, at work or in a vehicle for convenient access.
Make the bag quick to take and maintain
- Choose a carryable container. Use a bag or other supply container that can be grabbed quickly and carried by the person expected to take it. Test it loaded with the essentials; do not assume a particular size or weight is right for every household.
- Group essentials by person or use. Keep medicines and medical accessories, documents, communications gear, and pet supplies easy to identify and reach.
- Prepare irreplaceable items in advance. Decide what matters most and where it is, so you do not lose time deciding or searching when evacuation is urgent.
- Review the contents periodically. Check that medicines, records, chargers, clothing, and personal supplies still fit your household’s needs and that the bag remains ready to carry.
- Follow official evacuation instructions. Do not stay behind to finish packing or retrieve belongings when authorities tell you to leave.
Choosing a go-bag backpack or useful accessories
A backpack is one possible container, not a required product. FEMA does not specify a brand, model, capacity, or target weight. Compare options by how comfortably they carry the packed load, whether their organization helps you reach essentials, and whether they fit the supplies your household actually needs. A portable phone charger, protective document case, or pet carrier can also serve a specific function, but none is an agency endorsement. Verify product specifications rather than assuming a case is fireproof or waterproof.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- MYLAR FOIL MATERIAL: Waterproof camping thermal sleeping bags Crafted from high-quality mylar foil material, which has tear and puncture resistance,reflects back 95% of body heat. It is windproof, waterproof, and breathable, protecting you from rain, wind, and snow while keeping you warm and dry. it back to you, ensuring warmth even in the most extreme circumstances for blizzards, rain, extreme cold.
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- CAMPING EMERGENCY SLEEPING BAGS: This Emergency sleeping bag is designed to provide ultimate comfort,safety and emergency warmth during all your outdoor adventures. Emergency survival sleeping bag are made for camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities research.These are bug out bag essentials as well as bugout disaster preparedness supplies.
Rank #4
- 【All-In-One Survival Kit With 251 Essentials】Expertly curated with survival specialists, this emergency kit integrates 251 survival tools and emergency medical supplies to sustain individuals and families through the critical first 72 hours of any emergency. Ideal for earthquakes, wildfires, tornadoes, power outages, and outdoor adventures, hiking. The ultimate practical gift for men, dads, husbands, and adventurers on occasions such as Father’s Day, birthdays, Christmas, or Thanksgiving.
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- 【Molle-Compatible Tactical Bag With Crossbody Design】All survival gear and supplies are packed in a rugged 600D nylon tactical backpack with detachable crossbody strap and MOLLE webbing for attaching extra pouches or tactical gear. Multi-compartment layout keeps emergency supplies organized and accessible. Lightweight yet spacious, it’s ideal for bug-out bags, vehicles, boats, or backpacks.
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